Basic Principles
Europe is home to four small yellow and green finches. In Britain the default option is Eurasian Siskin, but in central and southern Europe it needs to be distinguished from the rather common European Serin and, in the Alps and Pyrenees, from Citril Finch. The fourth, Corsican Finch, is restricted to Corsica and the Italian islands of Sardinia, Elba, Capraia and Gorgona, so isn’t treated here.
Eurasian Siskin
This is a widespread species which breeds across the Palearctic from Ireland in the west to Kamchatka in the east. There is, however, a gap in its distribution in southern Siberia.
In some parts of its range it is resident, but more northerly populations can make long-distance movements and winter well to the south, as far as North Africa in…