A striking small finch with a vivid pink bill, bright red face, and bold black-and-yellow flashes in the wings. Juveniles seen in late summer and autumn lack the red face but are still easy to recognize thanks to the strong wing pattern. It occupies a wide range of habitats, from woodland and gardens to meadows and open grasslands, and is especially fond of feeding on thistle seeds. In autumn and winter it gathers into flocks around food sources. Though it can be unobtrusive, it is often revealed by its cheerful, bubbling calls and twittering song

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