A resident, passing migrant and winter visitor in Cyprus and the Akamas. It’s less common species than others in the family, in winter it is often found in small groups and seen in a wide variety of habitats, while in spring and summer it’s found mainly in pairs and mainly in forested areas.

It nests on trees and feeds mainly on seeds on the ground or on trees. A small finch species with a small, conical beak. It shows sexual dimorphism (the two sexes are distinct in appearance), but not as pronounced as in other species of the family, but evident and more pronounced during the breeding season.

The male is more yellowish on the head, neck and chest, while the female has only a slight shade of yellow, with the exception of the rump which remains more intense yellow, and has vertical stripes on the throat and chest, unlike the male in which they are absent.