Bird 🐦
🐦
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
| Size | 14.5–16.5 cm Slightly larger and stockier than a House Sparrow |
|---|---|
| Weight | 21–38 g About the weight of a large strawberry |
| Lifespan | 2 years |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| M vs F | Males have a brilliant rose-red breast and cheeks; females have a soft pinkish-buff breast — both have black caps and white rumps |
| Habitat | Woodland edges, hedgerows, orchards, gardens with berry-bearing shrubs |
| Best time | Year-round; most visible in winter when visiting gardens |
| Conservation | UK: Amber LC |
Did you know?
Bullfinches have a special pouch in their throat for carrying food back to their young — they can carry up to 29 cherry buds in a single trip
Bullfinches have a special pouch in their throat for carrying food back to their young — they can carry up to 29 cherry buds in a single trip
More for experts
They are dietary specialists — feeding heavily on ash keys, nettle seeds and blackberries in turn, switching between species as each becomes available in sequence through the year
Often confused with
Chaffinch (pink but no black cap or white rump), Linnet (streaky, no black cap)
Chaffinch (pink but no black cap or white rump), Linnet (streaky, no black cap)