Photo: MPF / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Twite
Linaria flavirostris
Twite (Linaria flavirostris) — 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 Twite (Linaria flavirostris) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 15.4 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 flavirostris
Where it lives
Low Arctic to temperate northwestern and montane central Palearctic in open areas: northern, central British Isles, western, northern Scandinavia; disjunctly Caucasus and south-central, northeastern Turkey east through south-central Russia, northern Kazakhstan, northern, western Xinjiang (northwestern China) and Mongolia, in southern northwestern Iran, central Afghanistan through Altai region, northwestern Himalayas east to Nepal and Tibet to Qinghai and Gansu (north-central China)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.4 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Twite is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Twite is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Twite (Linaria flavirostris) is a member of the Fringillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL low Arctic to temperate nw and montane c Palearctic in open areas: n, c British Isles, w, n Scandinavia; disjunctly Caucasus and sc, ne Turkey e through sc Russia, n Kazakhstan, n, w Xinjiang (nw China) and Mongolia, in s nw Iran, c Afghanistan through Altai region, nw Himalayas e to Nepal and Tibet to Qinghai and Gansu (nc China).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 6.5 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 6.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Twite?
The Twite is a small bird that weighs around 15.4 g.
Where does the Twite live?
The Twite is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL low Arctic to temperate nw and montane c Palearctic in open areas: n, c British Isles, w, n Scandinavia; disjunctly Caucasus and sc, ne Turkey e through sc Russia, n Kazakhstan, n, w Xinjiang (nw China) and Mongolia, in s nw Iran, c Afghanistan through Altai region, nw Himalayas e to Nepal and Tibet to Qinghai and Gansu (nc China), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Twite belong to?
The Twite (Linaria flavirostris) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Twite eat?
The Twite is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Twite migrate?
The Twite is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Twite 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 Twite make?
1 real field recording of the Twite — 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 Twite's range?
The Twite has a mapped global range of about 6.7 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.