Page 392 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

FINCHES
Order Passeriformes Family Fringillidae Species Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Bullfinch distinct hood formed
by black cap, bill,
and chin
thick,
bright grey-white band stubby
white on dark wings bill
rump pale grey
back
dull brownish
back
MALE beige-grey
underside
vivid
red-pink
underside
no dark
cap
FEMALE
IN FLIGHT
same plumage
as female’s short dark
legs

MALE
black tail white under
JUVENILE tail
pest in some areas, but seriously declining in
A many, the Bullfinch is a quiet, inconspicuous FLIGHT: quite slow, but direct, slightly undulating
bird despite its bold plumage. It uses its round bill to over a distance.
feed on soft buds, flowers, and shoots rather than hard
seeds, usually feeding in pairs or family groups. If
disturbed, it moves out of sight through a thicket or
hedge. Its whistled calls are then highly distinctive. It
does not visit bird-tables or feeders, although it may
come to gardens in spring to raid flowering fruit trees.
VOICE Call low, soft, clear whistles, slightly
descending, peuuw, deu, or phiu; song infrequent,
creaky pea-whistle quality, with calls intermixed.
NESTING Cup of twigs, lined with moss and grass,
in bush or tree; 4 or 5 eggs; 2 broods;April–June.
FEEDING Eats soft buds, seeds, berries, shoots, and MALE CALLING
some invertebrates, from low bushes and shrubs, Usually inconspicuous, despite its bright colours, the Bullfinch’s piping,
occasionally on ground. whistled call is the best clue to its presence in a shrubbery or hedgerow.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in most of Europe except
CHAFFINCH 32; pale Iceland, most of Spain, Portugal,
see p.380 cap duller and S Balkans; visits S Spain and
double white pink breast Greece in winter. In woodland,
wingbar of male
farmland with hedges, thickets,
parks, gardens with thick shrub-
much larger
beries and similar dense, low cover.
JAY
no white similar in flight; Seen in the UK
rump see p.364 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 15cm (6in) Wingspan 22–26cm (9–10in) Weight 21–27g ( 3 ⁄4 – 15 ⁄16oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure
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