Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla teydea)

Measuring up to 16-18 cm in total length, the blue chaffinch is the largest of the world’s three chaffinches. Sexual dimorphism is very pronounced; the adult male has a bright blue back and paler underparts, a relatively long tail, a broken white eye-ring and a stout bill. The subspecies F. t. polatzeki can be distinguished from the nominate species (F. t. teydea) by two white flashes on the wing and by its song. The female has brown or olive-coloured upperparts, paler underparts and two wingbars that are more evident in the subspecies F. t. polatzeki. Endemic to the Canaries, these birds are relegated to Tenerife (F. t. teydea) and. Gran Canaria (F. t. polatzeki). Mainly found in dry, damp or mixed forests of Canary pine (Pinus canariensis), and in the undergrowth of evergreen or fayal-brezal firetree and heath forests, where it coexists with the chaffinch (Fingilla coelebs). It appears between 1,000 and 2,000 m, but is sometimes observed at lower altitudes, particularly in summer. The blue chaffinch is widespread in Tenerife and is found throughout the montane forest belt that surrounds Teide National Park. In Gran Canaria, however, it is limited to just a few places, namely the pinewoods of Ojeda, Inagua and Pajonales, in the west of the island, though in recent years, it has gradually colonized the central peaks, thanks to the release of individual birds as part of an ambitious conservation programme for this species. It mainly feeds on pine seeds (pine kernels) and invertebrates (nocturnal lepidoptera and coleopterans). On average, two eggs are laid in a cup-shaped nest, nearly always located in a Canary pine, at 1.5-20 m off the ground. The blue chaffinch is a late breeder, the breeding season not beginning until mid- to late-spring and ending in summer. In Tenerife, it frequently moves to high montane scrubland, generally in summer, and is often observed in places near water. The nominate subspecies is quite common, with no significant conservation issues, whereas F. t. polatzeki is classified as Endangered, with only very low numbers (200 specimens in the wild) and a high level of threat from forest fires, fragmented habitat and human encroachment. Fortunately, considerable protection and conservation management has resulted in new areas of occupancy and a number of specimens that can breed in captivity, while their habitat is being restored.