back to HYPP Zoology home page


.
Carduelis cannabina (L.)
Aves, Passeriformes, Fringillidae .

Linnet

Description, Biology, Life Cycle, Damage, Common Names, Images

[R]Description
- Adult: 13 cm long; 24 cm wingspan; back brown-red; wings dark brown with a pale area (white stripes); tail dark brown with edges white; head greyish; underside of body reddish with brown stripes; breast pink; breast and forehead red in the males when in breeding plumage (*) .
- Egg: bluish-white with stripes and reddish-brown and purplish spots.
- Nest coarse; 10-12 cm across; made with roots and herbaceous plants and lined with wool.

[R]Biology
- Except during the breeding season, linnets form noisy flocks and are present in large open spaces with herbaceous plants. They wander until March-April, being associated with green finches (Carduelis chloris), chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus). These birds nest in loose colonies in bushes, sometimes on the ground or in grass.
- Being almost exclusively granivorous, this species feeds on the ground in straw and in fields; it is partly insectivorous when nestlings start feeding.

[R]Life Cycle
- Eggs are laid in April (4-6) and in July. Young leave the nesting site during the summer.
- Migration begins in September and reaches a peak in October: populations coming from Britain, Scandinavian countries and Central Europe arrive in France.

[R]Damage
The linnet feeds on seeds of Cruciferae (rape) and Compositae (sunflower).

[R]Common Names
DE: Bluthänfling ES: Pardillo FR: Linotte mélodieuse IT: Fanello PT: Pintarroxo GB: Linnet, Goldfinch

[R] Images

  1. Carduelis cannabina (L.) (ACTA)
    Adult malet

To read this page in French

HYPPZ on line : Species (scientific name), Pests (common names), Glossary, Crops.

back to HYPP Zoology home page