Despite its striking colours, the Eurasian bullfinch is a shy and reclusive bird, making it difficult to spot in its natural woodland habitat, although it will occasionally venture into gardens in search of food. This thickset finch, with its conical bill, gets its name from its front-heavy, bull-headed appearance and can look a little like a parrot while feeding.
Unfortunately, its population has declined by nearly 40% since the 1970s, largely due to the loss of trees and hedgerows in rural areas.
Breeding pairs: 220,000 pairs
Family: Finches, Euphonias, And Allies
The adult male bullfinch has a blue-grey mantle, a white rump, and a black tail. Its wings are black with a pale wing bar, while the underparts are rose-pink to orange with a white vent. On its head, the crown, nape, lores, and chin are black, the cheeks and throat are rose-pink or orange, and the glossy crown is bluish-black. The short, conical bill is black, the eyes are black, and the legs and feet are pinkish-brown.
After undergoing a moult in summer or early autumn, the male retains his bright plumage, unlike some other finches that adopt duller autumn colours.
The adult female bullfinch has a similar plumage pattern to the male but is duller overall, with a grey-brown mantle and pale pinkish-brown underparts.
Juveniles resemble females but lack the black crown and face markings, and they have a buff-coloured wing bar.
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Bullfinches breed from early May to mid-July, producing 2 or 3 broods per season. They are monogamous for life and often form small groups with other pairs but nest alone. During courtship, the male performs displays by lowering his wings to showcase his bright orange underparts and white rump. He also feeds the female by regurgitating seeds onto her bill as part of the bonding process.
The nest is built 1–2 metres above the ground, typically on a tree branch, or within a bush or thicket in habitats such as scrubland, hedgerows, arable areas, parks, and gardens. The female builds the nest, creating a loose structure of moss, twigs, and lichens, lined with hair, moss, and roots.
Bullfinches lay 4–7 pale blue eggs with red-brown mottling. The female incubates the eggs for 12–14 days, with the male supporting her by providing food. After hatching, both parents feed the chicks a diet of insects and seeds, which the male delivers to the nest. He uses specialised pouches, known as buccal food-sacs, located at the base of his bill on either side of the tongue, to carry the food. These sacs develop specifically for the breeding season and are a rare adaptation among finch species, which typically carry food in their throats.
The chicks fledge at 12–18 days and reach sexual maturity at one year.
Bullfinches have a diverse diet that includes seeds, weeds, insects, sunflower hearts, nuts, grains, berries, and buds. Young bullfinches primarily rely on live food provided by their parents. In gardens, bullfinches can often be spotted hanging on to seed feeders or pecking at suet cakes.
Their preference for tree buds in orchards historically led to the issuance of general licences permitting their trapping and culling, a practice that was only discontinued in relatively recent years.
Bullfinches can be seen all year round throughout the UK except the far north of Scotland. Look out for them in woodlands, thickets, orchards, and hedges.
In winter, they will often visit gardens in search of food.
The bullfinch’s bill is powerful enough to crack a cherry stone.
