Winter plumage - January in Vancouver, B.C.
Credit: Michelle Lamberson

North American field guide

Brambling

Fringilla montifringilla

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Identification

Field notes

16 cm (6") Eurasian species but regular migrant to Aleutians, and to southern Alaska, Canada, central and western United States in the fall and winter.

Male: black head and back in spring; brownish in fall and winter. Tawny-orange shoulder patch. Spotted sides. White belly.

Female or Fall Male: buffy or brownish head, mottled brown crown, and barred or mottled back. Tawny-orange shoulder patch. Spotted sides.

In flight; conspicuous white rump.

Song: nasal "check-check-check" flight call.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Brambling (Male)

1 rule
Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 2
What was the sex of the bird ?
Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
Yes · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:1064-brambling-male:1:1 Source: 1064 Brambling (Male), row 1

Brambling (Female or fall Male)

1 rule
Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 2
What was the sex of the bird ?
Male · Female · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?
Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States