Through my home-office window I have been able to study some of the hundreds of Bramblings that have visited my feeder this winter. There is lots of variation in the plumage, but usually only when it comes to the abrasion of head feathers; the more abraded, the more black they (males) appear.
However, some very few males (have not seen this in females) have so-called pea-throats. This means that they have a white throat with variable distribution. Most only show a pea-sized spot below the bill, and one male also showed an all white throat patch, streaching from the bill to the chest (see below).
This striking first winter male Brambling showed the largest white throat-patch I've seen. Bergen, Vestland, Norway 30 January 2022.
Male Brambling with a "regular" pea-throat. Bergen, Vestland, Norway 2 February 2022.
First-winter male Brambling with an ordinary and all orange-buff throat. Bergen, Vestland, Norway 20 January 2022.
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