Description
The bullfinch is a huge species of birds belonging to the finch family. The bullfinch is a common breed bird in Denmark, often found in mixed deciduous forests and coniferous forests. Outside Denmark the bullfinch is found in all of Europe, in parts of the Middle East and in a huge part of Asia stretching all the way to the coast of the Pacific Ocean and to Japan.
The beak of the bullfinch is black, short and shaped like a skittle. The underneath of the male bullfinch has a characteristic red color, while the underneath of the female bullfinch has a brown color. Both the male and the female bullfinch have a black skullcap and a conspicuous white rump, which is particularly visible when the bird is flying. The young ones are brown, and they have the black skullcap missing until September, and until then they are therefore recognized by the white rump.
It is interesting that the male and the female bullfinch stick together throughout the year and pair off through their entire lifetime (4 years). In that way the bullfinch is said to demonstrate solidarity.
The female bullfinch lays eggs at the end of April or in the beginning of May, and when the young ones are fledged they stick to the parents and they all form a family group.
The bullfinch often sits in treetops, and we can hear its soft and melancholic whistling, still not being able to see the bird.
