The Brambling is recognised by its russet-coloured upper-breast and white rump, the male having a black head with the female's being mottled black and brown. Their backs are dark brown and they have white wing-bars.

It is a migrant species that breeds in the birch woods and willow scrub in taiga of northern Scandinavia and Russia moving south into Britain and Europe for the winter. In winter it forages through open country and farmland and is especially attracted to beech trees and hornbeams where it gorges on fallen seed beneath.

In some years, where breeding has been very successful, 'invasions' of huge flocks descend on our beech woods to feed and when this food is no longer available will come to garden feeding stations. They will accompany Chaffinches and other seed-eaters, feeding on seed spread on the ground.

They take sunflower seed, especially the black variety, and will pick through any of the Haith’s wild bird foods or Huskfree seed mixes especially when the ground becomes snow-covered.

Buy bird food for Bramblings below: