When winter comes, small red-breasted birds fly to the cities. These are bullfinches, flying in a loud flock. Today we will tell you what kind of bird the bullfinch is - does it fly away where in the summer, why is it in the city in the winter and why is its chest red.

Who are called "living lanterns"

The forest in winter cannot boast of a special variety of colors. All around are blue and white snow and the dark green of coniferous trees. And suddenly, among this diversity, lights flash - these are red-breasted bullfinches flying from branch to branch.

Are all bullfinches the same?

All types of bullfinches have similar sizes. The birds are small, slightly larger than a sparrow. All have a slightly elongated black tail, a short thick beak and a black cap on the head.

But the color of the thick fluffy plumage in other parts of the body may vary. Males have a bright red, almost scarlet, entire chest. Females are more modestly colored - their breasts are brownish.

There is a species of bullfinches whose back is white below, and the entire front part, shoulders and neck gray, that’s why they are called gray bullfinches. Others have yellow coloration on their backs, and their name is yellow-backed. The red-headed bullfinch has a red cap on its head, not black. That's how different bullfinches can be.

The red-headed bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythrocephala) is the most abundant species of this genus in the Himalayas

In total, 9 species have been identified, and the shades of plumage are different for all, so the opinion that all bullfinches have a red breast is erroneous.

Where do bullfinches live?

Bullfinches inhabit the entire forest zone of Europe and most of Asia. In Russia they can be found in all forests where they grow coniferous trees, and even in the forest-steppe zone.

The bird is sedentary, but you can watch it only in winter. They often fly to city parks and gardens to feed, then they can be clearly seen. Bullfinches hang on the branches like living lanterns.

Bullfinches are calm and friendly birds, fights between them occur very rarely, and the whole flock will fly to the squeak of a bird in trouble

But in the summer it is difficult to notice them, so some people think that bullfinches fly to other lands. They actually fly, but only deep into the dense spruce thicket, where they will build their nests.

Listen to the voice of the bullfinch

The flock flies very beautifully, its flight resembles iridescent river waves.

Reproduction of bullfinches

As soon as the frosts recede and the sun warms up more, immediately in February-March bullfinches begin to attract each other with their songs. Their quiet melodious whistling can be heard far around. And what’s interesting is that, unlike all birds, females of bullfinches also sing. True, their song is unsightly, similar to a squeak.

These birds form a pair in April and begin to build a nest in a hidden, secluded place. Impenetrable spruce thickets are just suitable for this. They build a nest from small twigs and roots on the thin ends of spruce branches, less often pine. Therefore, the number of bullfinches in spruce forests is much higher than in some others.

Closer to summer, when the chicks are already hatching, the parents begin to molt, so fluff and small feathers are also added to the nest.

The female incubates the eggs, and the male brings her food throughout the nesting period.

The chicks differ in color from their parents; the color of their feathers is rich brown and there is no black cap on the head.

Towards the end of autumn, the family begins to wander in search of food. And when the snow falls, they become clearly visible. That’s why people say: “The bullfinches have arrived, bringing winter on their wings.”

Do bullfinches eat only rowan berries?

Most often in photographs or paintings these birds are depicted sitting on rowan branches. Its berries are their favorite food. Moreover, they do not eat the pulp, but only peck out the seeds. Because of this, gutted red crumbs of berries are always scattered on the snow under the tree.

In general, their diet, despite the fact that it is only of plant origin, is quite varied. In winter these are the seeds of alder, maple, ash, hornbeam, and elderberry. In the summer, in the fields, they feast on the seeds of quinoa, burdock, horse sorrel and other herbs.

The bullfinch is no larger than a sparrow, but looks much larger due to its dense build. This bird belongs to the finch family.

A distinctive feature of males is their red belly, as well as their cheeks, neck and sides have a scarlet tint. In females, this area has an even brown-gray tone.

The male and female are easy to distinguish from each other. In addition to the color of the chest, they also have differences in plumage. The male has white stripe on wings, but poppies do not. Young birds, before the first autumn molt, also differ from adults. Young birds do not have a black cap; they have a dark brown color throughout the entire plumage, except for the tail and wings. They are black.

If you observe a brood of bullfinches in the forest, the differences between male and female, as well as the younger generation, are very striking.

There are also slight differences in the color of birds, depending on the region where they live. Birds that live closer to the south of our Motherland have a bright red chest and cheek color. And the closer to Far East, the lighter this area is. On the Kuril Islands you can find a bird with a pale pink breast. And again, this only applies to males.

Habitat

The bullfinch bird lives throughout Russia. It is generally accepted that he comes to us in winter. However, this is fundamentally wrong. It’s just that in summer, among the foliage, this bird is difficult to spot. But in winter, against the background of white snow, red-breasted bullfinches are very noticeable.

This bird lives in forests where there is dense undergrowth. Avoids pure pine forests. He is a frequent visitor to city parks and
squares. It prefers not only dense undergrowth, but also mature dense forests, preferably deciduous.

Like other birds, it flies south in winter and flies back to its nesting site in March. And by mid-April they almost completely disappear from the southern and middle latitudes of Russia. The main nesting area of ​​this bird is northern latitudes up to the Arctic Circle.

These birds inhabit all of Europe, Siberia, the Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan. The boundaries of their habitat in the south are approximately at the latitude of the Apennine Peninsula, and in the north they are limited to the Arctic Circle.

Bullfinches are sedentary birds, so they return to the same nesting site every April. Bullfinch families are matriarchal. The snowflake gets food here, and she also decides conflict situations" The male takes care of the offspring.

Bullfinches food

These birds have an unusual beak - it has black color, thick, wide and blunt at the end, with a flat and hard palate. This beak is very convenient for removing seeds from rowan berries, hop cones and juniper. However, the favorite food of these birds is the seeds of ash, maple, and alder.

Males are quite phlegmatic and lazy by nature. That's why there are feeders that people hang. These birds are very popular. Then the male (and the female too) will not disdain both millet and buckwheat.

These birds build nests in a “standard”, cup-shaped shape. The diameter of the nest can reach 20 cm and the height - 8 cm. The female can lay about 6 eggs. This usually happens by mid-April. Bullfinches prefer to build their nests on spruce trees.

The female incubates the eggs only for the first 10 days, then after the chicks hatch, she flies off to get food for the family, and the male remains in the nest. The female feeds the chicks with plant food and brings insects only by chance. In total, the chicks stay in the nest for about 2 weeks. After which they begin to learn to fly.

In September, the first molt of the younger generation occurs, after which they fly to southern latitudes.

In winter, most of us notice the appearance of beautiful red-breasted birds - bullfinches - in the city. They are mainly visible on leafless tree branches and snow-covered ground. Appearance large quantity bullfinches due to the absence of forest areas enough food to survive, which brings them to urban areas, where people hear their sonorous singing and feed them seeds.

Bullfinch in May

By nature, bullfinches are trusting and unpretentious, so they feel comfortable among people. If you wish, you can get such a bird to keep it on the balcony or personal plot, having previously tamed it or caught it on the street. Keeping seemingly freedom-loving birds will not affect their overall condition at all. But you shouldn’t go against nature and specially catch bullfinches for yourself; it’s better to feed them sometimes in a hungry winter.

Appearance

The bullfinch is slightly larger in size than a sparrow. The feather color of the birds is quite bright and memorable:

• the head, except for the cheeks, is black;
• the tail and wings are also covered with black feathers;
• I have an undertail with a lower back white;
• the cheeks, lower neck, abdomen and sides are painted bright red. Males have a distinctive gray coloration on the back, neck and neck.

Depending on the species and region of habitat, bullfinches have slight differences in color. The shoulders on the back of the neck, in the female, may have gray plumage, while the back is colored brownish-brown. Sometimes females experience a change in red plumage to gray-brown.

Bullfinch on a branch

Chicks, regardless of gender, are colored buffy-brownish, without highlighting individual parts bodies like those of adult birds.

Habitats

Bullfinches are distributed throughout Europe, except for the southern and upper parts of Asia. In terms of altitudinal level of settlement, they are not picky and calmly build nests in low-lying areas and mountainous areas, selecting for themselves places with a sufficient number of trees and forests. These birds do not settle in places with no or few trees. The northern part of the forest is rarely inhabited by bullfinches due to cold winters.

Bullfinches choose to inhabit places with a clean environment, so in winter residents of cities with minimal or no industry can admire them. Birds feel quite comfortable around people, so they calmly settle within the city limits near residential buildings.

The summer forest does not allow you to see the birds, even despite their distinctive colors. In winter, trees empty of foliage and a white background of snow reveal all the beauty of their plumage.

Birds live in nests made in trees (fir trees) at a height of no more than 5 meters. They build the nests themselves from improvised materials. natural material: twigs, leaves, dry grass and live in them, leaving only for feeding.

To create nests and lay eggs, bullfinches choose spruce trees located near water bodies. The general behavior of the birds is calm and poorly oriented in a new area, which allows both humans and domestic cats to catch even an adult.

It is worth noting that in a region with harsh winters, bullfinches may not be noticed. Although they are frost-hardy, the difficulty of wintering in open nests and the reduction in food lead to migration to warmer regions. Unlike migratory birds, bullfinches do not fly south and respond well to the changing seasons, provided the winters are mild.

What does a bullfinch eat in summer?

In summer, bullfinches spend most of their time in fields and meadows. A sufficient amount of meadow grass seeds ensures a well-fed summer. In winter, fallen seeds are hidden under a layer of snow and it is difficult for birds to feed themselves, forcing them to fly to places inhabited by people for the winter period.

In addition to a sufficient number of seeds donated by nature, bullfinches love orchards and bushes with berries. Birds peck at juicy berries in summer or drying out in autumn, regardless of where they grow.

Fields sown with sunflowers attract, perhaps, all birds with juicy and satisfying seeds. Unlike other birds, bullfinches very rarely catch midges and other seasonal insects as food, but they do not completely refuse.

What does a bullfinch eat in winter?

In winter, most often bullfinches can be seen on the branches of rowan and viburnum. Bright red berries not only successfully highlight the red breast of birds, rowan is also their favorite delicacy.

The remaining seeds on maple, ash, and alder trees support birds until suitable seeds appear on meadow grasses or buds on trees. In parks, bullfinches do not refuse to visit feeders built by people; they only linger in them if there are sunflower and pumpkin seeds, oats and millet.

All these delicacies keep bullfinches until the onset of spring, which gives a lot of leaf buds. But often the winter is hungry and with little food available, which has a strong impact on the decline in bird populations.

Bullfinch with tree seed.

What does the bullfinch feed its chicks?

In the first half of May, female bullfinch lay eggs, from which chicks hatch a few weeks later. For the first few weeks, the chicks are next to the female and are fully fed by her. Over the next 10-15 days, the chicks learn to fly and get their own food. For young individuals, the diet must include midges, small spiders and bugs; in addition, the females begin to accustom them to collecting seeds from grasses.

Bullfinches are amazingly beautiful birds that delight with colorful appearance person. But you can admire them only in winter, and in summer it is simply impossible to see them, because they change their color, become less colorful and are completely immersed in caring for their bird offspring.

Description and features of the bullfinch

It is known that bullfinches belong to a special genus of songbirds belonging to the finch family. It is worth noting that the bullfinch is still small in size, slightly larger than a sparrow. Its weight usually reaches 30 grams. The body of this bird is strong and quite dense. The body length of an ordinary bullfinch will be 18 centimeters, and if you also measure the wingspan, then it will reach up to 30 centimeters.

Bullfinches have several features:

1. Plumage color.
2. Song.

The plumage color of females and males varies greatly. So, the breast of the female is colored pinkish-gray, and that of the males is red. By the way, by such bright plumage on the chest they can be distinguished from other birds. The color is also interesting because their head seems to be covered with a black cap, and then it smoothly turns into one small black spot, which ends on the chin. The back and wings of this bird are very bright. So, the back has a bluish-gray color, and the wings combine stripes of black and white.

The plumage on the tail is painted white, and the beak is black, and it is wide and thick. The bullfinch's legs are also black, but quite strong and very strong, three-toed, and the claws are not only small, but also very tenacious and sharp. And finally, the rest of the body is painted gray-cinnamon. But the color of the chicks is weak, and the color of the female is brighter than that of the males.

But distinctive feature is not only the color of the plumage, but also its song. It is impossible to describe the sounds it makes, but it is also impossible to confuse them with another bird song. You can sing the bullfinch's song compare with the creaking of metal. You can hear such a song during the mating season of birds, not only from the female, but also from the male.

The character and lifestyle of the bullfinch

It is believed that bullfinches are forest birds. For their settlements they choose coniferous and mixed forests. So, it is widespread in taiga coniferous forests Europe and Asia, which stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

But bullfinches can be seen not only in the depths of the forest, but also in parks, playgrounds, in the courtyards of residential buildings, and if on one of the windows multi-storey building If there is a feeder hanging, they will be happy to fly to it to eat and eat.

In winter, trying to feed myself, bullfinches are forced to fly to the city, so a person can easily see these bird colored balls that will fly from branch to branch. The winter bullfinch not only looks beautiful, but also lifts a person’s mood with its appearance.

These birds love rowan trees, to which they usually fly in a flock. The males let the females choose the berries, and then feast on them themselves. But they don’t stay on this tree for long, because they don’t eat the juicy pulp itself, preferring the seeds. And then they fly again to another tree.

Bullfinches are unhurried in their behavior, but at the same time very calm, neat and cautious. If a person suddenly appears nearby, they will immediately become wary and try to stay away from him. This is especially evident in the behavior of the female. But if a person leaves food for them, then after a while they will still feast on it.

Often people try to keep bullfinch in their home. But for its normal functioning at home, it is necessary to follow several rules. So, it is necessary to support him definite temperature regime . The bullfinch does not like heat, so it will need to be kept in a cool place. If he gets used to living with a person, then it will be possible not only to pick him up, but also to learn simple melodies with him.

Bullfinches never conflict with each other in the same flock. They are very friendly. But at a certain period, aggression can occur in females. This condition can be determined by the behavior of the bird, which knocks its beak and rotates its head. But such moments come quite rarely.

Is the bullfinch a migratory bird or not?

In nature there are sedentary and migratory birds. It is known that migratory birds try to fly to warmer regions for the winter. But people often wonder whether bullfinches fly in the summer?

Much is known about the life of bullfinches in winter:

1. Their flock consists of 7–10 individuals.
2. The colder it is, the less mobile they are.
3. When it starts to get dark outside, these birds begin to look for branches or bushes for the night.
4. In the first half winter period their whistle is heard rarely, and in the second - more often.

But already in mid-April these birds disappear, and no one sees them until cold weather sets in. But where do they disappear? Are bullfinches migratory or sedentary birds? Bullfinches fly in winter. They can settle to the south: to the Amur basin, Central Asia, Transbaikalia, Crimea and North Africa. But already at the end of March or beginning of April they return, but hide from people for the summer.

Bullfinches are sedentary birds that during the summer try to hide further into the thicket of the forest. They can also fly away from cities to places where they will find silence and solitude. In summer, they build their nests on the highest branches inaccessible to humans. There is enough food at this time, so there is no need for people.

Reproduction and lifespan of bullfinches

During the mating season, the male becomes more vocal and pleasant. During this period, females respond to his song with a quiet whistle. But birds begin to form pairs only closer to March. Responsibility for the family falls on the female.

To create their nests, birds trying to choose a good spruce forest. Females place their nests high, at a distance of about 2 meters. But you won’t find bullfinches’ nests even close to the trunk.

The female weaves her nest for a long time and patiently, using thin branches and dry grass. With their beaks and paws, bullfinches skillfully weave these branches together. Dry leaves, animal hair and even lichen are placed at the bottom of the bird.

In May, the female begins to lay eggs. Usually these are 4-6 blue eggs with small brown specks. They breed offspring for 15 days.

Small chicks have a big appetite, so parents constantly need to look for food for them. After just 2 weeks, they begin to learn to fly and even make attempts to get out of the parent’s nest on their own. When they are a month old, they will begin to live and feed on their own.

Lifespan of bullfinches wildlife can reach 15 years, but a rare bird survives to this age. And the reasons for the death of the bird in early age can be very different:

1. Vulnerability to temperature conditions.
2. Lack of food during harsh winter times.
3. Snowy cold winters.

Among white snow it's hard not to notice this little one and such bright bird which is so widespread. Bullfinches have long been adorning magazine covers, postcards and calendars, giving people their radiance and joyful mood.

Bullfinches birds

The bullfinch or common bullfinch is a songbird of the genus Bullfinch, a family of finches.

The genus includes 9 species.

The bullfinch is considered a well-known and widespread bird; it is a very noticeable and attractive bird.

Habitat of the common bullfinch

The bullfinch lives in Europe, Western and Eastern Asia, Siberia, and Japan. It can live in both highland and lowland forests, avoiding only treeless areas. In Russia, the bird lives in forest and forest-steppe zones, where coniferous trees can be found in large quantities. Most of all, bullfinches like spruce forests in river valleys.

Appearance of the common bullfinch

The bird is small in size, slightly larger than a sparrow. The top of the head, around the beak and eyes is black. The flight feathers and tail feathers are also black, with a blue metallic tint. The loin and undertail are white. The male's back, shoulders and neck are gray. The cheeks, lower neck, belly and sides are red. The tone and intensity of coloring on the underside of the body depends on the subspecies and individual characteristics. The neck and shoulders of the female are gray. The back is brownish-brown. The cheeks, neck below, belly and sides are gray-brown. The plumage of the chicks is predominantly ocher-brown. The chicks do not have a “black cap” on their heads, like in adults.

In addition to the bright special coloring, this bird has another distinctive property - the song of the bullfinch. Its voice cannot be confused with the voice of another bird, although it is quite difficult to describe the sounds produced in verbal form. A more appropriate comparison is metal creaking or whistle.

It is not immediately clear that this sound is made by bullfinches, but they really have such a unique voice and are able to surprise the listener with their special song. Most often, such a trill can be heard during the mating season. It is also surprising that both males and females perform it.

Lifestyle, nutrition of the common bullfinch

From middle zone Russian bullfinches usually do not fly away. Bullfinches are sedentary birds. That is, they stick to their small territory and do not fly away anywhere.

In the warm season, bullfinches lead a secretive lifestyle - they settle in dense forests, where there are always a lot of seeds and tree buds that these birds love so much.

With the onset of cold weather, many bullfinches are forced to move closer to human habitation, to where they can find food. Therefore, in winter, bullfinches can more often be seen in parks and gardens, pecking at rowan bunches.

Birds living in northern latitudes fly to warmer regions for the winter, sometimes flying over vast distances.

You can meet wintering bullfinches in Mediterranean countries, as well as in northern Africa and even Alaska. The birds return to their usual nesting sites around the end of March - beginning of April, and the female almost immediately begins to make a nest.

Bullfinches eat tree buds, nuts, seeds and small berries. Sometimes they eat insects, but they don’t even know about it: this happens by accident and very rarely. The shape of their beak allows them to easily extract seeds from cones. They deal with berries in a special way: they take out the pulp and throw it away. Only the seeds are eaten.

Reproduction of the common bullfinch

From April to May, bullfinches begin to split into pairs. Males whistle in a special way, attracting individuals of the opposite sex. Bullfinches mate once in a lifetime.

During the mating season, the male yields the largest and juiciest bunches of berries to the female. When the pair is collected, the search begins convenient place for nesting. They choose spruce trees for their nests, in rare cases - juniper bushes. The male does not participate in the construction of the home. It is woven by the female from flexible branches and grass. At the end she insulates it with moss.

After constructing a secure nest, the female lays 4 to 6 blue eggs with reddish spots. Only the female incubates them, but all this time the male gets food for his girlfriend and also protects the family. The chicks are born helpless. They are covered with long gray down. For 2 weeks they constantly squeak and ask their parents for food. After this time, the first flight from the nest and the first steps towards independent life are made. Another month passes before the chicks are able to fly long distances. As soon as this happens, young bullfinches leave the nest.