Red belly / chest birds: 12 native species

The bird world is colorful. Only butterflies and fish can come up with a greater variety of colors. Domestic red-bellied birds are especially popular. We introduce twelve of them.

Types from A - E

Linaria cannabina

• Size: 12 to 14 centimeters
• Male appearance: red chest, brown back, gray head, red forehead
• Appearance of the female: sparrow-like, without red parts
• singing: nasal, pressed
• Distribution: not nationwide in Germany, lives on bushy slopes, in parks, in cemeteries
• Diet: almost exclusively plant seeds, rarely insects
• Other names: flax finch
• Feature: partial puller

Note: The bloodlines are on the red list. It is endangered in Germany

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

• Size: 14 to 18 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: belly and head sides red-brown to brown-pink, crown blue-gray, back brown, forehead black, beak steel-blue in spring, otherwise horn-colored, white shoulder spot
• Appearance of the female: overall lighter than the male, back olive-gray, beak light brown
• Singing: very distinctive
• Distribution: all over Germany in forests, parks and gardens
• Diet: insects, spiders, berries, seeds
• Other names: Edelfink
• Feature: standing bird

By the way, bird watchers remember the typical song of the chaffinch with the donkey bridge "I-write-to-the-government".

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

• Size: 17 to 19.5 centimeters
• Male appearance: compact body, short legs, iridescent blue plumage, orange-red belly
• Appearance of the female: same color as the male, differentiated by the red underside of the beak
• Singing: sharp whistling call, singing simple
• Distribution: not nationwide in Germany, lives near flowing water
• Diet: small fish, frogs, tadpoles and insects
• Other names: king fisher
• Feature: standing bird

By the way, kingfisher pairs can raise up to 21 young a year. In order for this to happen, the male takes care of the young while the female is already hatching a new clutch.

Types from F - J

Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

• Size: 15 to 17 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: compact body, strong crossed beak, wings and tail dark brown, red head, red belly, red rump
• Appearance of the female: olive-green with a yellow rump, otherwise similar to the male
• Singing: varied, nasal, purring, call "gip-gip-gip"
• Distribution: Widespread in Germany in coniferous forests
• Food: seeds of spruce and other conifers, flower buds, small insects
• Other names: Scots Parrot
• Characteristic: not a migratory bird, but a migratory bird that migrates to where there is enough food

Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

• Size: 13 to 14 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: slim body, red tail, red belly, black cheeks, black throat, white headband
• Appearance of the female: chest beige-white to light orange, back gray
• Singing: smacking
• Distribution: in Germany in varied landscapes, on orchards
• Diet: insects, spiders, worms, berries
• Other names: wood redstart
• Feature: standing bird

Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

• Size: 13 to 14 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: strong stature, red breast, black cap, thick black beak
• Appearance of the female: chest gray-brown, back gray
• Singing: soft with whistling elements
• Distribution: all over Germany in forests, parks and gardens
• Food: adult birds only eat seeds, young birds eat insects, spiders and seeds
• Other names: bullfinch, gold finch, blood finch
• Feature: standing bird

Types of K - R

Carrion Pickle (Carpodacus erythrinus)

• Size: 13 to 15 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: red head, red breast, red rump, otherwise brown-gray
• Appearance of the female: plain brown-gray with black dashes
• Singing: fluting, rhythmic, call whistling
• Distribution: mainly in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in fields, in forests and parks
• Food: seeds, buds
• Other names: unknown
• Characteristic: migratory bird

Rust goose (Tadorna ferruginea)

• Size: 58 to 70 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: small goose with rust-red plumage, light-colored head, black neck ring
• Appearance of the female: similar to the male, face slightly lighter
• Singing: trumpeting calls
• Distribution: sporadically in Germany on lakes and ponds
• Food: small fish, frogs, worms, insects, grasses, seeds
• Other names: unknown
• Feature: partial puller

Red necked goose (Branta ruficollis)

• Size: 55 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: compact body, strong neck, small beak, rust-red chest, rust-red Throat, sides of the head red, black plumage on the back and belly. Appearance of the female: similar to that male
• Singing: shrill staccato calls
• Distribution: sporadically in Germany on lakes and ponds
• Food: grass, samphire, insects
• Other names: unknown
• Characteristic: migratory bird

European robin (Erithacus rubecula)

• Size: 13 to 14 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: orange-red color from the front forehead over the throat to the chest, sides of the head red, upper side olive-brown to gray, underside white, feet dark brown, beak black
• Appearance of the female: like the male
• Singing: powerful, fast zik sounds, sparkling singing
• Distribution: distributed all over Germany in deciduous and mixed forests with dense undergrowth
• Food: insects, spiders, worms, caterpillars, nuts and berries in winter
• Other names: Rötele, Rotbrüstle
• Feature: standing bird

Types from S - Z

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

• Size: 12 to 13 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: black head, white neck ring, red breast, dark beak, plain winter dress after moulting
• Appearance of the female: slightly lighter than the male
• Singing: whistling with smacking sounds
• Distribution: mainly in the east, south and west of Germany on open areas, raised bogs and heaths
• Food: insects, spiders, worms
• Other names: unknown
• Feature: partial puller

Red chalk (Monticola saxatilis)

• Size: 18 to 19 centimeters
• Appearance of the male: short-tailed thrush with a small beak, head and plumage blue-gray, belly and chest rust-red, white back when in flight
• Appearance of the female: brown, light throat and red-brown tail
• Singing: soft flute
• Distribution: in Germany almost only in the Allgäu mountains, endangered
• Diet: insects, spiders, worms, small reptiles, berries
• Other names: Berglerche
• Characteristic: migratory bird

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