Linaria flavirostris
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.
Length
13cm to 14cm
Wingspan
21cm to 23cm
Weight
15g to 20g
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
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.
Sea level to 2,000 meters
Temperate, Subarctic
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:
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