Inhabiting moorlands and breeding among the heather, this gregarious species may be found from the Midlands northwards. In England, however, it cannot be called common, but in parts of North Wales, Scotland, and Ireland it is abundant. It nests in colonies, the nests being placed on the ground or in a low bush; they are neatly made of rootlets, pieces of heather, and moss, lined with hair and wool.

The eggs, like those of the other Redpolls, are blue spotted with red. Two broods are reared in the season, and as soon as the first brood is fledged the whole colony will sometimes move off to an adjacent spot for the second brood, so that they may be found with young in the nest one week, and a few days later no sign of them or their young will be found at that spot. During the summer their food consists largely of insects, while seeds form their chief diet in winter. After the breeding season they leave the upper moorlands and wander south, a fair number reaching the south of England, especially in severe winters. It chiefly frequents the wild open country and marshes by the sea-shore, but in the more wooded localities it is rarely found and it seldom perches on trees. It has a pleasing little song and the call-note is a loud “twah-it,” whence its English name of Twite.

General colour above dark brown with slightly paler edgings to each feather. Wing feathers blackish with white outer margins, as in the Linnet. Tail somewhat forked, the feathers being black with whitish inner margins to the three outer pairs. Under parts buffish white streaked with brown. In the male the lores, cheeks, throat, and rump are suffused with rose red, but the female shows no red whatever. The bill in both sexes is deep horn-coloured in summer and yellowish in winter. The young resemble the female. Length 5 in.; wing 3 in.