A small, fairly nondescript finch, that is quite similar in appearance to the Linnet - especially at distance; and is best separated at range by its distinctive call. On closer views the pink rump of the male can be seen.
In winter time this species can be seen at places along the east coast and these birds are believed to be from the Scottish population; this one was photographed at Annagassan in Co Louth.
The Irish breeding population has declined drastically in recent years and has retreated to a few western coastal sites and the population might be as low as 100 pairs at this stage. As a species it has a strange distribution with populations in NW Europe (Ireland, Britain, Norway, Faeroes) and SW Asia (Kazakhstan, Iran, Mongolia and Western China) and no breeding populations in vast area between these two ranges.
low Arctic to temperate nw and montane c Palearctic in open areas: n, c British Isles, w, n Scandinavia; disjunctly Caucasus and sc, ne Turkey e through sc Russia, n Kazakhstan, n, w Xinjiang (nw China) and Mongolia, in s nw Iran, c Afghanistan through Al
Africa (entire continent rather than south of Sahara)
AN
Antarctica
AO
Atlantic Ocean
AU
Australasia (Wallacea (Indonesian islands east of Wallace's line), New Guinea and its islands, Australia, New Zealand and its subantarctic islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu)
PAL
Eurasia (Europe, Asia from the Middle East through central Asia north of the Himalayas, Siberia and northern China to Japan)
IO
Indian Ocean
LA
Latin America (Middle and South America)
MA
Middle America (Mexico through Panama)
NA
North America (includes the Caribbean)
NO
Northern oceans
OR
Oriental Region (South Asia from Pakistan to Taiwan, plus Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Greater Sundas)
