LINNET
The linnet got its name from its fondness for hemp and flax seeds. Flax is the English name of the plant that linen is made from. The linnet is a slim finch with a long tail. The uppers are brown with a lighter brown breast and belly. Their heads are pale grey with a short pale bill. In the Summer, males have a red patch above their eyes and a red breast. The ladies and juveniles have white underparts and no red bits. The males and females stay close to each other once paired, through the Summer.
Linnets are very social birds, breeding in small colonies and feeding in flocks all year round. They are ground feeders, with the flock moving in tightly coordinated groups. A linnet's diet consists mostly of seeds, but they will take the occasional insect. Nests are built in bushes with 4 to 7 eggs being laid. The nest is made from stems, roots and grass with a lining of hair.
