Helpston's wildlife

Bullfinch

I guess it is a subjective judgment but the male bullfinch with his bright red front and white rump must be one of the most stunning of our local birds.

I was very interested to see that the bullfinch has been down-graded in terms of its population status from a red-listed bird (highest conservation concern) to an amber (unfavourable conservation status) bird. This positive change reflects my own very unscientific observation that there seem to be more of them around than in previous years, with birds regularly heard in Royce Wood and as ever very common at the Hanglands. You do hear bullfinches much more often than you see them - a very distinctive thin whistle is the sound to listen for - and they can be surprisingly inconspicuous given the bright colours of the male.

I asked Chris Hughes, who rings for the BTO at our Bainton Heath reserve if this perceived increase was in line with his own findings and he produced the following data about the number of bullfinch ringed on the reserve since 2003.

2003 - 44
2004 - 54
2005 - 28
2006 - 56
2007 - 52
2008 - 31
2009 - 52

Which suggests a fairly stable population, with an interesting dip on a three year cycle. It doesn't though indicate any particular increase in population, although I would stick by my own observation that they do seem to be around in good numbers this year.

Historically bullfinch numbers have declined considerably in recent years, so it is good that they appear to be doing well. In the past the bird was so common that it was an official pest species, with a notorious reputation for eating the buds of fruit trees.

It also traditionally has a reputation as a caged song-bird. Birds were trapped and taught to whistle in tune with a special bird flute. As a result of their readiness to comply with this training, the word bullfinch was historically slang for a fool or simpleton!