Citril Finch

Carduelis citrinella

An alpine specialist that nests above the treeline. Your message comes from the mountain.

Population: approx. 502,000–569,000 mature individuals (2021 est., BirdLife DataZone regional/global figure for this European-endemic species), decreasing trend
Habitat: Montane and submontane coniferous forests (spruce, larch, pine), forest edges/clearings, alpine meadows, ski-runs, roadsides and around alpine huts/gardens, from roughly 700 m up to 3,180–3,300 m; descends to lower elevations in winter
Fun fact: The Citril Finch is a true high-altitude specialist among European songbirds, breeding right up to the treeline of the Alps and Pyrenees at elevations that can exceed 3,000 meters.
Range: Endemic to mountains of southwestern and central Europe (~1,110,000 km² of occupied range) across Andorra, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland — Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains/Spanish sierras, Massif Central, Jura, Vosges, and the Alps, with the northernmost breeding population in Germany's Black Forest; occasional vagrant elsewhere
Diet: Primarily small seeds, especially from conifers (spruce, pine) and low alpine plants (dandelions, thistles); forages in trees and on the ground, sometimes clinging acrobatically to grass stems; feeds insects/spiders to nestlings
Size: 0.12 m
Wingspan: 0.22 m
Lifespan: 8 years

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