Seeds: In autumn and winter it feeds above all on ground-lying seeds and spilt grain - the Common Chaffinch readily picks up seeds from the ground beneath bird feeders.
Insects and spiders: During the breeding season insects make up the bulk of the diet, and for their first few weeks the young are fed exclusively on insect larvae and spiders.
Berries: Rowan and rosehip are taken opportunistically in autumn.
In autumn the Common Chaffinch is strongly tied to beech mast and systematically gathers seeds from the ground, often in large flocks together with Bramblings in the beech woods.