Grey-headed Goldfinch

Очень похож на черноголового щегла, подвидом которого прежде считался, и от которого отличается отсутствием черного на голове и чисто белого во всем оперении, а также несколько более крупными размерами. Голова того же цвета, что спина, на лице красная маска. Молодые в гнездовом наряде практически неотличимы от молодых черноголовых щеглов. Признаки пола и возраста - как у черноголового щегла, с поправками на особенности окраски. Вес 17-23 г, длина около 15-17, крыло 7.9-8.6, размах ок. 25-30 см.

Common, in places abundant resident or short distant migrant. Inhabits the groves, gardens, forests in flood-lands, mountain deciduous and coniferous forests with shrubs and glades, at altitudes up to 1700 m in Altai and 2600 m in Tien Shan. Also lives in towns and villages. On migration visits fields (especially sunflower ones), kitchen-gardens, shelterbelts, forestless low mountains and thickets of tall weeds. Nest is located in tree (poplar, birch, elm, maple, oak, spruce, apple, pear, cherry, apricot) or in bush (juniper) at height 1.5-20 m above the ground; nest is built for 7-12 days by female from the dry thin grass and rootlets mixed with plant fuzz (of poplar mainly) and is lined with hair and fuzz. Clutch of 3-5 (usually 4) eggs is laid from mid-April to early August, mainly in May - June. Female incubates clutch for 12-13 days. Both parents feed offspring which fledge at age 12 days old, from end of May to late of August. Usually rears two broods per season, re-nesting after loss of first clutch is common. In autumn and winter disperses in flocks of up to several dozen birds; the distance of migration is unknown, but some birds from Altai reach Almaty.