The European greenfinch

The European greenfinch (Chloris chloris) was among the wave of birds introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s. They’re known for their song in some parts of the world and are caught and kept as songbirds. Possibly that’s the reason they were brought to New Zealand, because settlers wanted to hear familiar songbirds. By the turn of the 20th century, their importation was regarded as a serious mistake due to their fondness for seed crops, and in 1903 they were proclaimed “injurious birds” under the Birds Nuisance Act of 1902. The “chloris” of their scientific name means green. I love the vividness of his splashes of colour contrasted with the pale brown of the rest of him.