The Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) is a small passerine bird, measuring about 15 cm in length, inhabiting subalpine forests and satoyama woodlands across Japan. During winter, it descends to lower elevations, where encounters become more frequent. Males show a soft rose-red blush on the breast, while females lack this coloration and appear in more subdued gray-brown tones.
Its thick, short bill is highly adapted to a plant-based diet, with a particular preference for tree buds and young shoots. Calm in demeanor, bullfinches move quietly in small groups, often giving the impression of feeding continuously and unhurriedly for long periods of time.
The call of the bullfinch is a gentle, whistling “fee,” a sound that subtly reveals its presence before the bird itself comes into view. In the stillness of a winter forest, this soft note brings the quiet outline of the bullfinch into focus.