Look out for Bullfinches
12 Dec 2017
The BirdTrack reporting rate for Bullfinch peaks in December, making now a great time to look for them. Regularly seen in pairs or small flocks, they prefer areas of hedgerows and woodland, and are less frequently seen in gardens. After a large decline in the 1970s and 80s, the Bullfinch population is currently recovering across most of the region, though the Atlas did show some declines in Relative Abundance in southeast England.
Despite the bright colours of the male, Bullfinches can be surprisingly difficult to find while feeding in tangled hedgerows. Their sad-sounding, downslurred call is one of the easiest ways to locate them, and later in spring it is well worth listening for the males' surprisingly melodic song.
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