Birdsong field guide
Canary Islands Chaffinch
Fringilla canariensis
The Canary Islands Chaffinch is a colorful passerine endemic to the Macaronesian archipelago, recently recognized as a distinct species from the Common Chaffinch. It is characterized by the male's vibrant slate-blue and moss-green plumage.
What it sounds like
A rhythmic, descending series of 'chip' notes ending in a flourishing 'whee-chee-whee', shorter and more explosive than its European relative.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- It was historically treated as a subspecies of Fringilla coelebs before molecular and vocal studies led to its elevation to species status.
- The species displays significant island-to-island variation, with distinct subspecies residing on different islands like Gran Canaria and La Palma.
- While it shares territory with the endemic Blue Chaffinch, it typically prefers humid laurel forests over high-altitude pine forests.
- Its diet is opportunistic, consisting of seeds and fruits, though it heavily relies on caterpillars and other invertebrates during the nesting period.
- The nest is a neat, deep cup made of moss, lichens, and cobwebs, usually built in the fork of a tree branch.
Habitat
Laurel forests, fayal-brezal (heathland), and montane pine forests.
Range
The central and western Canary Islands, including Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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