Twite Bird Facts (Linaria flavirostris)

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Twite is a small, slender finch with a streaked brown body and buff-edged wing feathers. Its most distinctive features are a yellow bill and a forked tail. Males display a pink rump, especially prominent during the breeding season. Their bills turn grey during the summer.

Females closely resemble males but lack the pink rump, and the white markings on the wing are less defined. Juveniles have a darker, more heavily streaked appearance and a greyish bill that gradually turns yellow as they mature.

Size

Length

13cm to 14cm

Wingspan

21cm to 23cm

Weight

15g to 20g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Brown Buff

Secondary Colour

White Pink

Beak Colour

Yellow

Leg Colour

Black

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown Buff

Secondary Colour (Female)

White

Beak Colour (Female)

Yellow

Leg Colour (Female)

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Twite is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Twite is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Twite is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Twite can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Twite is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Twite is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Twite can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Twite is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Twite is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Twite is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Twite can be found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Twite is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Twites inhabit open, treeless areas, including coastal cliffs, upland moors, and mountain slopes. They are found across northern Europe and Asia, with significant populations in Scotland and northern England.

In winter, many birds move to lowland coastal areas. In the UK, they are year-round residents in Scotland but only winter visitors in southern England.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Twite. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Resident

Breeding

Non-breeding

Passage

Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Afghanistan Azerbaijan Denmark Finland Germany Iran Ireland Italy Latvia Sweden The United Kingdom Turkey

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Armenia China Faroe Islands Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Lithuania Mongolia Nepal Norway Russia Tajikistan Uzbekistan

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Estonia France Hungary Iraq Netherlands Poland Romania Slovakia Spain Ukraine

Species that pass through the area during migration

Belarus Turkmenistan

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Croatia Montenegro Portugal Serbia Slovenia Switzerland

Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 75

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Twite demonstrates considerable agility with its bouncy flight pattern and quick movements while foraging on the ground. Its ability to navigate coastal cliffs and upland moors suggests good manoeuvrability.

Strength 30

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

As a small finch weighing only 15-20 grams, the Twite has limited physical strength. However, it possesses enough power to perform aerial displays and build nests in challenging environments.

Adaptability 70

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Twites show good adaptability by inhabiting diverse environments from sea level to 2,000 metres elevation. Their ability to shift between breeding and wintering grounds, and to form mixed flocks with other species, indicates flexibility in behaviour and habitat use.

Aggressiveness 25

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Twites are generally non-aggressive, preferring to flock with their own kind and even other species. Their gregarious nature suggests a relatively peaceful disposition, though they may display some territorial behaviour during breeding season.

Endurance 65

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The Twite's partial migratory behaviour and ability to survive in harsh upland and coastal environments indicate good endurance. Their capacity to forage extensively for small seeds and perform aerial displays also suggests decent stamina for their size.

Diet

Twites primarily feed on small seeds from various plants, including meadow grasses, dandelions, and sorrels. In coastal areas, they often forage for seeds of saltmarsh plants. Some invertebrates may also be eaten, including larvae, flies and beetles.

During the breeding season, they supplement their diet with insects to feed their young.

Behaviour

Twites are gregarious birds, often seen in small flocks outside the breeding season. They have a characteristic bouncy flight pattern and frequently perch on fence posts or rocky outcrops.

During foraging, they move quickly on the ground, picking seeds with their specialised bills.

Vocalisation

The Twite's call is a distinctive, nasal 'twite' or 'twy-eet', from which it gets its name. Their song is a rapid, twittering series of notes, often delivered in flight.

During the breeding season, males sing more frequently, especially when performing courtship displays.

Nesting & Breeding

Twites form monogamous pairs during the breeding season, which typically starts in May. Males perform aerial displays and sing to attract mates.

Nests are built low in heather or gorse bushes, constructed mainly by the female using grasses, moss, and roots. The female lays 4-6 pale blue to dark blue eggs with reddish-brown spots.

Incubation lasts about 13 days, solely done by the female. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after 11-13 days but remain dependent on adults for several more weeks.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern ^[1]

While globally listed as Least Concern, Twite populations have declined significantly in parts of their range, particularly in the UK.

Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable breeding habitats and providing winter feeding areas. Sustainable farming practices play a crucial role in their conservation.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

3,280,000 - 15,100,000 mature individuals ^[2]

Global Population Trend

^[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Mountain Linnet

Family:

Fringillidae

Average Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Max Lifespan

6.1 years ^[4]

Predators

Main predators include birds of prey such as Merlins and Sparrowhawks, as well as domestic cats in some areas.

Did You Know?

Twites are one of the few finch species that do not feed on tree seeds.
Their scientific name 'flavirostris' means 'yellow-billed' in Latin.
Twites can form mixed flocks with Linnets and Redpolls in winter.
Twite numbers have dropped dramatically in northern England since 1990, with only a handful of pairs remaining.

FAQs

How to attract Twites?

Efforts are underway to revive the struggling twite populations in the UK, with farmers offered advice on how to make their land twite-friendly to encourage breeding by the Twite Recovery Project.

Twites will be attracted by open meadows and grasslands, which offer foraging opportunities for a variety of seeds on which they can feed their young.

Moorland sites are used for nesting, and taller vegetation around the edges of heaths, with bracken and plenty of weeds, such as sorrel and dandelion, will also be beneficial to breeding twites.

By agreeing to cut hay later in the year, farmers can encourage breeding twites to nest on their land.

References

1 2 3
website: BirdLife International. 2017. Linaria flavirostris (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22720438A111128447.
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4
journalArticle, 2006: Moller, Sociality, age at first reproduction and senescence: comparative analyses of birds, J Evol Biol, 19:682-689
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