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Corsican citril finch
Carduelis corsicana (Serinus corsicanus)
Geographical distribution and habitat
The Corsican citril finch is found on the islands Corsica (French), Sardinia (Italian) and a few more islands in the Mediterranean Sea that are part of the Tuscany Archipel (Italian), of which Elba is best known island. Especially Corsica is the island where the Serin corsicanus is most observed. It is - unlike Carduelis citrinella (Citril finch from the European mainland) - a bird that is not specifically found in high mountain areas. Carduelis Corsicana lives and breeds in more lower regions where a milder Mediterranean climate prevails. The Corsican citril finch prefers rocky areas where holly, holly oak trees and other evergreen shrubs and trees grow. In contrast to the European citril, the Corsican citril finch prefers more the seeds of different kind of herbs, over seeds of trees. The Corsican citril finch and the Citril finch are both European bird species to which legislation of European birds applies.
Length: 12,5 cm: 4.92 inch
Description and subspecies
The male differs from the female. There is a more extensive and bright yellow mask, a more bright yellow color and grey in the neck. Female birds are less bright of color and less contrasting. There may be confusion with the European citril finch which over the whole body, is less lemon/yellow colored. It is highly recommended to breed pure lines of the European and Corsican citril finch. As with many other Serin and Carduelis species, the youngsters have a striped appearance. Young males can be determined by the fact they already have a more or less green/olive colored belly.
Details
The most obvious difference between the European citril and the Corsican citril finch is, in addition to the more yellow color in appearance, the brown striped feathers on the back of the Corsican citril finch. Legally ring size Belgium 2.3 mm; ring size Netherlands 2.5 mm. In aviculture, the Corsican citril finch seems to be a stronger bird than the European citril finch. Remarkably for both species is the dark colored pointed beak. The classification of the Serin species that Serinus-Society uses is conform the Checklist of Dr. James F. Clements. Based on DNA research, Jorge Zamora and associates have published in 2006 their conclusion that the distant ancestors of both the Citril finch and the Corsican citril finch, belong to the carduelis family. Based on that conclusion, in 2019 this Checklist classified both citril species in the genus Carduelis.
(23-10-2019)
