Greenfinch or House Sparrow?
These two get mixed up constantly. Here is what actually separates them, taken from each bird's own page.
Greenfinch
Chloris chloris
A female greenfinch is dull enough to pass for a sparrow at a glance, but she still carries a bright yellow stripe along the edge of the closed wing and yellow in the tail. No sparrow has any yellow at all.
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
Side by side
| Greenfinch | House Sparrow | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About 15cm — robin-length but noticeably chunkier and heavier-headed, with a big pale bill. | Robin-sized at 14–15cm, but chunkier, flatter-headed and thicker-billed |
| Where you'll see it | On hanging seed feeders, in treetops, and on the ground beneath; a bold, dominant feeder bird. | Feeders, dense hedges, gutters and roof eaves — rarely far from a building |
| What it eats | Large seeds it can crack — sunflower, rose hips, hawthorn, and in gardens sunflower hearts above all. | Seeds and grain all year; adults switch to insects to feed chicks |
| When | Resident all year, most obvious from late winter into spring when males start singing. | Resident, all twelve months |
| Status | Red listed | Red listed |
Still not sure? Describe what you saw and we will rank every garden bird against it — including these two.
Both descriptions are taken from the species pages, which cite the BTO and RSPB. Reviewed 2026-09-20.