- Pyrrhula murina
Identification
- Stocky finch
- Stubby bill
- Black face and cap
- White bar on black wings
- White rump
- Dull plumage, grey-brown underparts
Sexes similar, males are slightly larger.
Juveniles
Similar to adults, but do not acquire the black cap until after their first moult
Distribution
Endemic to the Azores where found on San Miguel Island.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It was formerly considered conspecific with Eurasian Bullfinch.
Habitat
Woodland and open forest. Generally shy and secretive.
Behaviour
The flight is undulating.
Diet
Bullfinches have a broad diet, consisting mainly of the seeds and berries of a variety of plants. When these are scarce during the spring they turn to the buds of fruit trees.
Breeding
Nests are built in dense woods between four and seven feet from the ground. Fine twigs, moss and lichens are used to construct the main body of the nest and a lining of fine roots is added. In May 4-5 pale blue spotted eggs are laid, the female incubates the eggs for 12-14 days after which both parents feed the chicks. A further 12 to 16 days later the chicks fledge. A second brood is then usually produced.
References
- Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
- Avibase
- Dickinson, EC, ed. 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd ed., with updates to December 2007 (Corrigenda 7). Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691117010
- Gill, F, M Wright and D Donsker. 2009. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.0). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Sibley, CG and BL Monroe. 1996. Birds of the World, on diskette, Windows version 2.0. Charles G. Sibley, Santa Rosa, CA, USA.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Azores Bullfinch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Azores_Bullfinch
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
