Photo 11. Physical characteristics: The male has a blue-grey crown and neck, a warm pinkish-rust breast, belly and cheeks, and dark wings marked by two clear white wing bars. It is a small bird, about 14–16 centimetres long and weighing around 20–24 grams. Its short, thick, conical bill is adapted for cracking seeds. Habitat and distribution: It lives in forests, gardens, orchards and other well-wooded habitats, and is common around the forested and mountainous areas of Sulaymaniyah and elsewhere in Kurdistan. Females build compact nests on forked branches, often camouflaging the outside with moss and tree fibres. Diet and song: In autumn and winter it feeds mainly on seeds and grain on the ground. During spring and summer breeding, it shifts toward insects and larvae to provide protein for its chicks. Males sing a loud, fast and repeated song from high branches to mark territory.
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