Chaffiinch? England (1 Viewer)

[Airnorth]

Hi,
Please does anyone have any opinions on this chaffinch that regularly visits our bird tables, I wondered if a migrant.
Thanks
Brian

 

[opisska]

This really looks like the africana subspecies. I had not idea this can be seen outside of its range!

 

[Deb Burhinus]

This really looks like the africana subspecies. !

It does, but not perhaps for the reason one might think

https://www.birdguides.com/articles/an-african-chaffinch-or-not-in-highland/

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

There are aberrant chaffinches that look close to africana, there were a few threads on such birds in BF already.

 

[opisska]

It does, but not perhaps for the reason one might think

https://www.birdguides.com/articles/an-african-chaffinch-or-not-in-highland/

Well the article does admit that they can be genuine, being carried by the migrant populations wintering in their homeland and this bird is more colorful than the "bad" examples they show. But in the presence of the other possibilities, it does seem impossible to really say.

Still a pretty nice thing to see, I always liked how those look!

 

[Airnorth]

Thanks very much to you all for the information, Its a very pretty bird to see especially here in northern England

Brian

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Looking at the condition of the feet and the ‘mixed’ plumage features, I would suspect it’s origin is from a cage.

 

[dantheman]

Looking at the condition of the feet and the ‘mixed’ plumage features, I would suspect it’s origin is from a cage.

Is it? I thought papillomavirus (or whatever it is in this case) was widespread in the wild, and a cage bird would have been treated perhaps?

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Is it? I thought papillomavirus (or whatever it is in this case) was widespread in the wild, and a cage bird would have been treated perhaps?

Are they? :-O

I always assumed dodgy feet, bills, feathers were indicators of being caged, though obviously good/bad conditioned birds are found in the wild and captivity.

 

[dantheman]

Are they? :-O

I always assumed dodgy feet, bills, feathers were indicators of being caged, though obviously good/bad conditioned birds are found in the wild and captivity.

Wait for the experts, but plenty of Chaffinch on feeders down here with feet/legs in similar condition. I thought it was missing toes and extra long claws etc you had to look out for ...

Beautiful looking bird otherwise. The extra 'i' is obviously some kind of abberation though