ID Keys: Black cap and face, rosy-red underparts on male,
grayish-tan underparts on female, black flight feathers, white rump
and wing patch visible in flight
The
Eurasian Bullfinch is a bird of the Old World, found from Great Britain in
the west through central and northern Europe and Asia to the Pacific coast
of Japan and Russia. They are but rare vagrants in North America, with
several sightings occurring in Alaska. In Europe they are simply known
as "Bullfinch".
Habitat
Found in a variety of wooded and scrubby habitats. They have adapted fairly well to a human presence and can often be found in gardens, farmland, suburban areas, hedgerows, orchards, and parks. They prefer scattered thick shrubs and vegetation within these habitats. They have a love of buds of fruit trees in the spring, a habit for which they've earned scorn by orchard owners and farmers.
Diet
Feeds primarily on seeds and berries, as well as buds and other plant parts. During the breeding season, they will also feed on insects and provide insects and other small invertebrates to the young.
Behavior
The Eurasian Bullfinch is generally quiet and unobtrusive, often remaining concealed within dense shrubs, hedgerows, and woodland edges. It typically forages in pairs or small family groups, feeding on seeds, buds, berries, and fruits. During the breeding season, bullfinches are territorial around their nesting sites, but they become more social and may join mixed-species flocks in winter.
Nesting
The nest of a Eurasian Bullfinch is cup built of lichens, mosses, and twigs, lined with mosses, rootlets, animal hair, or fine grasses. The nest is placed in dense vegetation, typical a shrub or tree, and generally between 3 and 10 feet from the ground. The female lays between 3 and 6 eggs, and she alone incubates them. The young hatch after about 2 weeks. Both parents help to raise and feed the young, which fledge about 2 weeks after hatching. Nesting pairs often raise 2 broods each season.
Song
The Eurasian Bullfinch has a soft, mellow voice and is most often identified by its gentle, whistled calls. Its song is a quiet series of low whistles and warbling notes, lacking the volume and complexity of many other finches. Pairs frequently maintain contact with short, subdued calls while foraging or moving through dense vegetation.
Migration
The Eurasian Bullfinch is generally a resident species, with most populations remaining near their breeding areas throughout the year. However, birds from northern and eastern parts of the range may move southward or to lower elevations during winter when food becomes scarce. These movements are typically short-distance and irregular rather than true long-distance migrations.
Will readily attend feeders for a wide variety of offered foods, including sunflower seed, safflower, millet, suet, and fruits.
Conservation Status
Populations overall appear to be in decline. In some areas such as in Great Britain, numbers are sharply down over the last few decades, a decline likely attributable to loss of hedgerows and other suitable shrubby habitat. However, they are still found over a very wide geographic area and are common in parts of their range. The IUCN considers the Eurasian Bullfinch a species of "Least Concern".
Photo Information
Photo taken on May 14th, 2014 in Finland by Arend - Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License
