Linnet without a read head?

[bodshi]

There is a little bird in the garden at the moment that I am almost sure is a linnet - pink breast (kind of spread down either side rather than a 'bib'), chestnut back, grey head, thick brown bill - but it absolutely refuses to have a read forehead! I thought maybe non-breeding males wouldn't show the red forehead but as I was watching it today the female appeared (brown and streaky) and they mated before flying off - so breeding then!

It does appear to have some blackish streaks around its bill, but not like the little black chin of a redpoll, which in any case would also have a red forehead.

Is it common for linnets to be lacking the red head?? Why can't the birds look exactly like the illustrations in my guide??!

[bodshi]

Just realised I put read head - I don't really expect it's head to have been read, I did mean red - just a rybbish tiper!!!

[Jenny W]

Originally Posted by bodshi

Why can't the birds look exactly like the illustrations in my guide??!

There is very little plumage variation in Linnets but the forehead feathers can be pinky-brown rather then red, even in breeding males.

I remember years ago when at uni, one of my lecturers has a brilliant saying -'wildlife doesn't read books!' I love that

[bodshi]

Thanks Jenny. I sometimes wonder if the people who write the books actually look at the wildlife! It's a glorious sunny day today so thought I might get a glimpse of some pink on that bird's head, but of course he hasn't shown himself yet. He was there every time I looked out of the window yesterday as well!