Mid-Wales is a haven for all sorts of wildlife and even though the brightly-coloured bullfinch is in decline across most of Britain, I have several pairs in my garden . . .
The recent slump in numbers nationally is unfortunate for the population had climbed steadily for much of the 20th century owing to the end of persuction. For centuries this little songster had a bounty on its head which was paid out by church wardens from Medieval times. Then the Victorians trapped it as a cage bird – although presumably more for its plumage than its rather squeaky call. Even after late 19th century legislation largely outlawed the use of native songbirds as pets, bullfinches were regarded as pests by nursery men and fruit growers, particularly in Kent, Hereford and Somerset where apple orchards reigned.
Nevertheless, these striking finches increased in range and numbers during the mid-20th century. This was in part thanks to the DDT-related sparrowhawk crash, but the decline in cider-drinking was also probably responsible (orchard owners had far less reason to shoot).
More recently, however, things have taken a serious downward trend. Numbers crashed during the 1970s and early ‘80s, probably thanks to a combination of hedgerow losses, intensification of agriculture and increased predation from the recovering sparrowhawk population.
Fortunately the situation has now stabilised and although it does not take naturally to urban gardens or bird tables, there are signs that it is moving into suburbia – particularly during hard weather. This is good news for any bird-lover, because as well as being colourful, it is appealing in its private ife. For a small bird, it is unusually uxorious. Pairs appear to bond and stay together well outside the breeding season.
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