AUTUMNGUIDE

Brambling
The northern and eastern cousin of
the Chaffinch, the Brambling is a very
attractive winter finch and a desirable
visitor to any garden. They are
Chaffinch sized and shaped, but have
orange breasts and shoulders, white
rumps and blackish tails (without the
white outer tails).
Like Chaffinches, Bramblings
are largely seedeaters, coming
to feeders and seeds on the
ground, usually in smaller
numbers than Chaffinches.
Krys Bailey/Alamy*
Yellowhammer
Along with Reed Buntings,
Yellowhammers are the only buntings
you are likely to see in a British
garden. And this is only if you live
near the sort of open countryside they
prefer (often agricultural fields with
hedge lines etc). Essentially sparrowlike,
but with yellowish tones and
a red-brown rump and white outer
tail feathers. Males are brighter
than females.
Yellowhammers come to bird tables
and will feed on the ground on seeds.
blickwinkel/Alamy* David Chapman/Alamy*
imageBROKER/Alamy*
Siskin
One of our tiniest finches, the little
Siskin is, like the Lesser Redpoll,
quite tit-like in behaviour, hanging
from tiny twigs on Alders and
birches to extract little seeds. Males
are yellow and green, with a
black-streaked white belly and
a black crown and bib. Females are
duller, but always have yellow/green
tones, and have similar yellow
wing-bars and yellow rump.
Siskins famously were attracted
to those red peanut bags which are
now considered a bit dangerous
for birds. But they will readily
come for nuts and seeds from
hanging feeders.
birdwatching.co.uk 13