Finches

(Common) Chaffinch Rí Rua (Coitianta) Fringilla coelebs

Common resident breeding species, passage migrant & winter visitor.

Global Distribution: Europe, North Africa and western Asia.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Brambling Breacán Fringilla montifringilla

Scarce passage migrant & winter visitor. More numerous in some years than others.

Global Distribution: A widespread breeder in Fennoscandia and northern Russia,
but also occurs very patchily farther south, with Europe accounting for less than half
of its global range. Also found in north Africa and Asia.

 

Winter Distribution

 

Serin Seirín Serinus serinus

Rare vagrant.

Seven county records up to the end of 2020.

2013 Mizen Head, one on the 4th October.
2005 Sherkin Island, one on the 5th November.
2002 Cape Clear Island, a first-winter male from the 27th October to the 1st November.
1988 Cape Clear Island, one on the 11th October.
1979 Galley Head, one on the 2nd October.
1975 Cape Clear Island, one from the 11th to the 12th November.
1947 Fermoy, one heard singing during May.

Global Distribution: A widespread breeder across most of Europe (except for the north
and east), which constitutes >75% of its global range. Does not currently breed in Ireland or the UK.
Also found in north Africa and the Middle East.

 

(European) Greenfinch Glasán Darach (Eorpach) Carduelis chloris

Common resident breeding species and autumn migrant.

Global Distribution: Europe, north Africa and western Asia.

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

Siskin Píobaire Carduelis spinus

Common resident breeding species, autumn migrant & winter visitor. Appears to be moderately irruptive, with large flocks seen in some years.

Global Distribution: Europe, north Africa and Asia.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

(European) Goldfinch Lasair Choille (Europach) Carduelis carduelis

Common resident breeding species and autumn migrant.

Global Distribution: It is widely distributed across Europe and central Asia, from the British Isles, western Europe and the northern tip of Africa through eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey and into the Urals, Israel, Azerbaijan and Iran. (Source: BirdLife International)

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

 

(Common) Linnet Gleoiseoch (Coitianta) Linaria cannabina

Common resident breeding species, autumn migrant & winter visitor.

Global Distribution: Europe, north Africa and Asia.

 

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

Twite Gleoiseach Sléibhe Linaria flavirostris

Occasional passage migrant, with most records in Autumn and also a rare winter visitor.

This species was formerly more abundant in the county, with breeding taking place in west Cork and birds regular in winter at sites such as Ballycotton.

Global Distribution: Northern Europe and south-central Asia.

Lesser Redpoll Deargéadan Beag Acanthis cabaret

Locally common resident breeding species, passage migrant and winter visitor.

Global Distribution: Ireland, UK and central Europe.

 

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

Common Redpoll Deargéadan Coitianta Acanthis flammea

Rare vagrant (despite its official international English name).

Seven county records. All of the sub-species flammea except 2000 and 2015, which were identified as rostrata.

2015 Dursey Island, one on the 19th October.
2011 Garinish, one on the 16th October.
2007 Cape Clear, one on the 28th October.
2005 Dursey Island, one on the 22nd October.
2000 Dursey Island, one on the 13th October.
1998 Dursey Island, one on the 3rd June.
1978 Dursey Island, one on from the 10th to the 12th October.

Global Distribution: Arctic Europe, Iceland, Greenland and arctic North America.

 

 

Arctic Redpoll Deargéadan Acanthis hornemanni

Rare vagrant.

Three county record up to the end of 2020.

2014 Dursey Island, one from the 5th to the 10th June.
2010 Dursey Island, 1st/2nd May showing characteristics of elixipes race.
1999 Dursey Island, 4th to 10th October. This is the first Irish record.

Global Distribution: resident in North America, Greenland, northern Fennoscandia and arctic
Russia, with Europe accounting for less than half of its global range. (Birdlife International)

(Common) Crossbill Crosghob (Coitianta) Loxia curvirostra

Scarce resident breeding species. Irruptive passage migrant, summer and winter visitor.

Widespread arrivals in some years, following which birds may stay in an area and even breed.
Numbers then decline and the species becomes quite scarce until the next irruption.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

Common Rosefinch Rósghlasán Coitianta Carpodacus erythrinus

Very scarce passage migrant.

At least 41 records involving over 145 individuals in the county up to the end of 2020 since first recorded on Cape Clear in October 1971.

A high count of 15 recorded in 2011. Usually seen singly but up to four have been seen together (Cape Clear Island, September/October 2001).

Birds have been seen at the following locations: Ballinacarraige (West Beara), Cape Clear Island (most records), Dursey Head, Firkeel, Garinish, Mizen Head, Old Head of Kinsale, Red Strand (near Galley Head), Sherkin Island, Three Castles Head, Toe Head.

All records between May and November with most seen during September and October.

Global Distribution: A widespread summer visitor to most of north-eastern Europe,
occurring more patchily farther south, with Europe accounting for less than a quarter
of its global breeding range. Also found across Asia. (Birdlife International)

 

(Eurasian) Bullfinch Corcrán Coille (Eoráiseach) Pyrrhula pyrrhula 

Uncommon resident breeding species (subspecies pileata), widespread but nowhere numerous.

The northern subspecies P. pyrrhula pyrrhula has been recorded on one occasion.
2017 Dursey Island, and adult male  from the 15th to the 18th.

Global Distribution: Europe and Asia.

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Hawfinch Glasán Gobmhór Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. Most records from west Cork.

At least 51 records involving at least 91 individuals up to the end of 2020.
At least seven birds up to 1920, 22 birds between 1969 and 2004. A minimum of 26 were seen during 2005.

Birds were seen at the following locations: Ardrum, Ballinacarraige (West Beara), Ballydehob, Baltimore, Cape Clear Island, Castletownshend, Cittadella (1 mile from Cork City), Dursey Island, Firkeel, Fountainstown, Garinish, Goleen, Kilcolman NNR, Mizen Head, Old Head of Kinsale, Roancarrig Lighthouse, Youghal, Three Castles Head.

All seen in October apart from singles recorded in January, May, August, September and November .

Global Distribution: A widespread breeder across much of Europe, which
accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. Also found in Asia. (Birdlife International)