Orange Bullfinch
Pyrrhula aurantiaca
A small, brightly colored bullfinch. The male is orange with black mask, wings, and tail. The female is similar but duller, with gray behind the neck, a pale brown back, and yellow-brown underparts. Found in open conifer forests. Uses its stubby bill to look for berries, buds, and seeds as it forages on the ground. The song is a pleasant jumble of short, mellow whistles and fluting notes. The call includes soft “tew” notes delivered in ones and twos.
Identification
The orange bullfinch (Pyrrhula aurantiaca) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. It is native to northern India and Pakistan. Its natural habitat is temperate montane forest.
Taxonomy
Genus: Pyrrhula; Family: Fringillidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Pyrrhula aurantiaca
- Authority
- Gould, 1858
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Pyrrhula
Range and habitat
Orange bullfinch are scarcely found in the forests of Astore District and Diamer and Kaghan and Neelum Valley District. During summer and spring seasons they are found in fir, pine, birch and mixed forest at 3,500m, while they come down to 1,550m to 2,350m in winter season.
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
They feed primarily on the ground, in snow-covered areas, and at the base of trees and bushes. Flocks often fly into tall trees at regular intervals and then return to the same ground. It feeds primarily on the hard-shelled seeds, buds, fruits, and shoots of trees, as well as large herbaceous shrubs, including the buds and catkins of birch, willow, and cherry.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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