Brown Bullfinch
Species: Nepalese Bullfinch
Latin name: Pyrrhula nipalensis
English name: Brown Bullfinch
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Description:
This is the largest Asian bullfinch, measuring around 17 cm in length. The dominant colour of this bird is brown. It lacks the black crown also seen in the Grey-headed Bullfinch and the Orange-headed Bullfinch. In the male, the lores and the area around the beak are dark brown; the forehead is also dark brown but has greyish patches on the nape. The nape and back are ash-brown. The rump is blackish-brown. A white line is visible beneath the eye, varying in prominence depending on the individual. The chin, throat, breast and belly are ash-brown. The shoulders are brown. The wings are black with a purple sheen, and are distinctive for their gradient colouring (the tail is very different from that of our European bullfinch). The male has red on the last tertiary flight feather, whilst the female has yellow. The female’s plumage is predominantly darker. This species was imported on a large scale into Europe a few years ago. It is now imported in more modest numbers. A few cases of breeding have been observed in European breeding centres. However, it cannot be said with certainty that this bullfinch is regularly bred in our part of the world.
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