Photo: Zambog / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Common Linnet
Linaria cannabina
Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 19.5 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 Linaria
- Species cannabina
Where it lives
Temperate to subtropical western, central Palearctic in open lowland woodland, fields (alpine meadows in southern): British Isles, southern Scandinavia east to Altay region (south-central Russia), northern Xinjiang (northwestern China) and far western Mongolia, in south to Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, west of northern Africa), Morocco to northern Libya, throughout Mediterranean to Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, western Jordan and western Syria, through Caucasus, northern, southern Iran, northern Afghanistan through eastern Kazakhstan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Common Linnet is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Common Linnet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina) is a member of the Fringillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate to subtropical w, c Palearctic in open lowland woodland, fields (alpine meadows in s): British Isles, s Scandinavia e to Altay region (sc Russia), n Xinjiang (nw China) and far w Mongolia, in s to Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, w of n Africa), Morocco to n Libya, throughout Mediterranean to Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, w Jordan and w Syria, through Caucasus, n, s Iran, n Afghanistan through e Kazakhstan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 10.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Common Linnet?
The Common Linnet is a small bird that weighs around 19.5 g.
Where does the Common Linnet live?
The Common Linnet is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate to subtropical w, c Palearctic in open lowland woodland, fields (alpine meadows in s): British Isles, s Scandinavia e to Altay region (sc Russia), n Xinjiang (nw China) and far w Mongolia, in s to Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, w of n Africa), Morocco to n Libya, throughout Mediterranean to Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, w Jordan and w Syria, through Caucasus, n, s Iran, n Afghanistan through e Kazakhstan, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Common Linnet belong to?
The Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Common Linnet eat?
The Common Linnet is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Common Linnet migrate?
The Common Linnet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Common Linnet 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 Common Linnet make?
1 real field recording of the Common Linnet — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Common Linnet's range?
The Common Linnet has a mapped global range of about 10.7 million 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.