Mike Dilger on the Bullfinch
Ecologist and TV presenter Mike Dilger shares why the bullfinch is his favourite bird.
The piping contact call of the male bullfinch is a familiar sound to ecologist Mike Dilger, as he often hears it on his daily dog walks through Somerset's Chew Valley. However it's the bullfinch's unusual, wheezing song, only heard briefly in the Spring, that makes it particularly special to him.
Male bullfinches are instantly recognisable thanks to their bright, pink-red breast feathers, white rump, glossy black cap and stubby bill. The females are a duller pinkish-brown rather than the vivid pink of the males. Bullfinches are found across most of the UK in a range of habitats, from woodland and farmland to parks and gardens.
Presented by Mike Dilger and produced by Jo Peacey. Tweet of the Day is a 蜜芽传媒 Audio Bristol production.
Bullfinch recordings via Xeno-Canto:
1. Eurasian Bullfinch call - XC704729 - recorded by Dominique Guillerme
2. Eurasian Bullfinch song - XC315469 - recorded by Gerard Olivier
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- Sun 18 May 2025 08:58蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
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Discover birds through their songs and calls. 265 programmes of 90 seconds, over a year
