1452 days ago

Chaffinch - a common garden bird

Louise from Woburn

Chaffinch/pahirini (Fringilla coelebs) are a common backyard bird with the male sporting a rusty-red breast and a steel-grey hood. They love a bit of bird seed and will quite happily feed with the sparrows. Interestingly, during the winter before they pair up for breeding, the males and females separate to hang out in little groups of their own sex - hence the Latin name "coelebs" meaning bachelor. They pair up in September with the male first establishing his territory (in my garden this is one side of the back lawn from the shed to the back deck) and commencing singing to attract his mate. I'm pleased to report that he was successful and his lady love has built a fine little nest in one of the camellias. When the chicks have fledged both parents will look after them and feed them. The pair will stay together until March when they will separate to join their own little same sex groups again. I read in a UK birding report that they usually keep the same partners for life, with the female returning to the same territory in Spring to find her mate. I couldn't find anything one way or another to say it was the same in New Zealand, but I assume it would be.

Image
More messages from your neighbours
8 hours ago

Today's Riddle: Guaranteed Brain Stretch!

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What bird is the strongest of them all?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

Image
8 hours ago

Paint it orange with Resene for Arthritis NZ!

Resene

Buy any orange Resene testpot 60 ml at your local Resene owned ColorShop in November and Resene will donate $1 to Arthritis NZ!

The more orange testpots you buy, the more will be donated.
Find out more

Image
8 hours ago

$100 Briscoes winners

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Congrats to our winners of the $100 Briscoes vouchers:

Miriam Comans from Hataitai

Tash Rawlinson from Beach Haven

Blair Mayston from Maryhill

David Tomlinson from Tauranga

If you're a winner, get in touch here before 20th November.

Not a winner this week? There's always next week!

Image