About Carduelis corsicana (A.F.Koenig, 1899)
The Corsican finch (Carduelis corsicana (A.F.Koenig, 1899)) is a small finch, measuring 11.5 to 12.5 cm (4.5 to 4.9 in) in length. It is very similar to the citril finch, but differs in several key features: it has a brown back marked with dark streaks, its yellow underparts and face have less green tinge than the citril finch, and its uppertail coverts are greyish rather than olive. Female Corsican finches have duller coloration than males. The Corsican finch is distributed across Corsica, Sardinia, and the Tuscan Archipelago islands of Gorgona, Capraia, and Elba. During the breeding season, it occurs from lowland garrigue up to montane areas. It inhabits dry scrub and conifer forests, mainly composed of European black pine (Pinus nigra) and maritime pine (P. pinaster), which may be open or semi-open. It can also be found in Erica tree heath heathland, scrub dominated by Genista bushes and Rubus brambles, alder (Alnus) groves, and areas with lightly scattered conifers. In subalpine zones, this species lives in low Juniperus juniper growth. Outside of the breeding season, Corsican finches make local movements to scrub habitats in lowland valleys, plains, and coastal areas.
