BULLFINCH

If you hear a sad, simple whistle – “pewww” - from the trees down at Gallows Hill, it’s worth taking some time to look for a pair of these beautiful birds. The male has a gorgeous deep pink chest, but the female’s subtle brown is attractive. Both have a sooty black cap, and in flight a noticeably white rump. The “bull” name is presumably a reference to their head shape. For centuries, their taste for the buds of fruit trees led to a bounty being offered for every one killed.