Brown Bullfinch

Pyrrhula nipalensis uchidai

Endemic subspecies

The Brown Bullfinch is a small (16.5 cm) bird with a grayish brown back, head, nape and breast.  The centre of the belly and the undertail coverts are white.  The wings are black with a grayish brown bar, and the tail is black and deeply notched. In flight, the white rump is conspicuous.  The forehead, lores, and the edge of the chin bordering the bill are blackish, the dark colour extending diffusely to surround the eye, and contrasting with a white cheek.  The short but thick bill is dark grayish.  In the Taiwan subspecies uchidai, the shafts of the central tail feathers are white, though this is not usually visible in the field.

The Brown Bullfinch feeds mainly on the seeds and cones of native conifers.  It is usually found in pairs or small groups. Its flight is swift and undulating, and it often perches in tree tops.  However, it also forages in the lower branches and closer to the ground.  Its two-syllabled call has been described as “per-lee” or “pi-piu”.  In Taiwan the Brown Bullfinch is a common year-round resident of sub-alpine forests in mountainous areas from 1300-2400 m, and descends to lower elevations in the winter.

References:  A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Mackinnon and Phillipps); 100 Common Birds of Taiwan (Wild Bird Society of Taipei); N. J. Collar, “Endemic subspecies of Taiwan birds—first impressions”, in Birding ASIA, Number 2, December 2004