 the common chaffinch (fringilla coelebs), usually known simply as the chaffinch, is a common and widespread small passerine bird in the finch family. the male is brightly coloured with a blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts. the female is much duller in colouring but both sexes have two contrasting white wings-bars and white sides to the tail. the male bird has a strong voice and sings from exposed perches to attract a mate. the chaffinch breeds in much of europe, across asia to siberia and in northwest africa. it prefers open woodland and often forages on the ground. the female builds a nest with a deep cup in the fork of a tree. the clutch is typically 4â5 eggs, which hatch in about 13&nbsp;days. the chicks fledge in around 14&nbsp;days but are fed by both adults for several weeks after leaving the nest. the chaffinch is a partial migrant; birds breeding in warmer regions are sedentary while those breeding in the colder northern areas of its range winter further south. ==taxonomy== the chaffinch was described by linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his systema naturae under its current binomial name. fringilla is the latin word for a finch while coelebs means unmarried or single. linnaeus remarked that during the swedish winter, only the female birds mi
Animals_described_in_1758 Birds_of_Europe Fringilla IUCN_Red_List_least_concern_species