Photo: williamstephens56 / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-headed Greenfinch
Chloris ambigua
Black-headed Greenfinch (Chloris ambigua) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-headed Greenfinch (Chloris ambigua) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 15.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Chloris
- Species ambigua
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-headed Greenfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-headed Greenfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-headed Greenfinch (Chloris ambigua) is a member of the Fringillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas to n Thailand.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 858,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-headed Greenfinch?
The Black-headed Greenfinch is a small bird that weighs around 15.5 g.
Where does the Black-headed Greenfinch live?
The Black-headed Greenfinch is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas to n Thailand, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-headed Greenfinch belong to?
The Black-headed Greenfinch (Chloris ambigua) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-headed Greenfinch eat?
The Black-headed Greenfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Black-headed Greenfinch migrate?
The Black-headed Greenfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-headed Greenfinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-headed Greenfinch make?
1 real field recording of the Black-headed Greenfinch — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-headed Greenfinch's range?
The Black-headed Greenfinch has a mapped global range of about 858,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.