LINNET CROSSES

	LINNET CROSSES Very popular finch to keep in cage or aviary sociable not agressive hybridises readily never seems to tame easily, always flighty, cock has a red chest the hen shows no red at all Eggs hatch 12 days after sitting occurs, young leave the nest at approx 11 days, young are self supporting at approx 21 days old
	COLOUR VARIANT LINNETS CLICK HERE	BREEDING PAGES CLICK HERE
Linnet Carduelis cannabina Status and distribution Widespread and generally common over much of the Region. Breeds throughout the British Is and from western France and Iberia east to the Urals reaching north to southern Norway, southern & eastern Sweden and central & southern Finland. In the south occurs on Madeira and the Canary Is, North-West Africa and most larger Mediterranean islands, Greece, Turkey and the Caucasus and the Middle East. Northern & eastern birds are migratory, leaving breeding areas in Sep-Oct to winter chiefly within range of southern breeders and along coast of North Africa, returning in late Mar-Apr, those elsewhere partial migrants or resident. Vagrants recorded north to Iceland and Lapland and south-east to Kuwait. Subspecies Nominate race occurs in Europe and North-West Africa with Turkestan Linnet C.c.bella from central Turkey to the Caucasus and south to Israel, paler above with very pale rump and pale grey crown and nape in male. The Atlantic Is have three races but they differ little from nominate. Eastern Canarian harterti from Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Graciosa and Allegranza is paler above and whiter on flanks, meadewaldoi from Palma, Hierro, Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria and nana from Madeira are very similar. Habitat Open habitats with low shrubs and scattered trees, often on moorland and heathland, along woodland edges, hedgerows and orchards, sometimes in large gardens. En race bella on rocky and scrub-covered mountain slopes. In winter forms large flocks often with other finches and feeds on stubble fields and other cultivated areas, along shorelines and on waste ground.
	LINNET X BULLFINCH ( M.J.J Mayer Zetphen) A very pleasant hybrid to produce every year there is a number bred if any of the bullfinch crosses were easy to breed then this cross along with the goldfinch x bullfinch would be considered the easiest
	LINNET X GREENFINCH Again both being similar brown based birds there is little point in wasting birds in this pairing, other than the achievement of breeding a hybrid, they are quite easy to breed, again may be enhanced in the many colour variant forms possible by using the Greenfinch cock to produce colour variant hens but of little use bred this way round both Photos from Lubomir Vesely (Czeck Republic)
	LINNET X CANARY Very popular very good rich colour when colour fed,beak should be black, excellent singer and popular on the show bench when crossed with the Norwich canary a must for any mule breeder breeds well in cages no need for an aviary. The bird on the right was owned by Terry Mc Cracken this picture was taken in 1991 at Staffordshire B.B. & M.C.
	LINNET X REDPOLL Again both being similar brown based birds there is little point in wasting birds in this pairing, other than the achievement of breeding a hybrid, they are quite easy to breed, again may be enhanced in the many colour variant forms possible by using the Redpoll cock to produce colour variant hens
	Both pictures on the right supplied by Antonio Lorusso, Italy
	LINNET X GOLDFINCH Picture supplied by Aux Fringill'idees http://stephane.schlub.free.fr/" Quite easy to produce looks like a more colourful linnet with a red blaze excellent songster but of little use on the show bench
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME IF YOU CAN HELP WITH ONE PLEASE EMAIL ME	LINNET X TWITE Again both being similar brown based birds there is little point in wasting birds in this pairing, other than the achievement of breeding a Linnet x Twite hybrid, only a few examples of this cross have ever been achieved
NO PICTURE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME IF YOU CAN HELP WITH ONE PLEASE EMAIL ME	LINNET X SISKIN This bird carries the distinct penciling and markings of both parents but the green of the Siskin is masked by the brown or ash - grey of the linnet which makes this cross uninteresting
	LINNET X CROSSBILL Found these pictures whilst browsing Italian internet site, this is the first time I have seen this cross and can find nothing else about any other Linnet x Crossbill if you can Speak Italian here is the page I found Click Here
LINNET FEEDING TECHNIQUES SEED: good British finch mix including a small amount of hemp, pine nuts, niger, maw, gold of pleasure also a good multi vitamin with added probiotic. REARING: soaked seed, egg food, a supply of green food and small amounts of live food, when rearing young, fresh water daily and mineralised grit with a small amount of charcoal added.