Fairly common to common in open woodland, parks, gardens, and farmland and open country with hedges and weedy patches; often feeds on seeding thistles. Forms flocks in autumn and winter, when sometimes visits seed feeders. Can be inconspicuous, but often detected by pleasant bubbling and twittering calls and song. Adult has distinctive head pattern, with red face, conical pinkish bill; also note bold black-and-yellow wing pattern. Juvenile (seen in late summer and autumn) has plain head but told easily by bold wing pattern.