ABO - Eurasian Bullfinch Report

Alaska Bird Observatory

Eurasian Bullfinch Visits Fairbanks

Eurasian Bullfinch
UPDATE: The bird has not been seen since the first week of April, 2001.

An interesting bird showed up at a Fairbanks bird feeder in Rosie Creek the last weekend of February - a female Eurasian Bullfinch (Phyrrhula phyrrhula cassinii). The National Geographic field guide calls the Eurasian Bullfinch a "casual migrant on Aleutians; casual in winter on Alaskan mainland."

According to Dan Gibson at the University of Alaska Museum, this species normally ranges from Great Britain to Kamchatka. The first record of this species in Alaska is from Nulato in 1867. Because it was a midwinter bird, ornithologists wondered for a few years if an undiscovered New World population existed of this Old World bird. But no one found another in Alaska until 1927. There are now about two dozen records for the state, including records from Petersburg, Anchorage and North Pole.

The Eurasian Bullfinch is a striking bird, about 6.5 inches long (bigger than a redpoll but smaller that a Pine Grosbeak) with a black cap and a white rump patch. The belly and the cheek patch range from bright red in males to a softer reddish brown in females. The "host" of the current visitor, did the right thing after she realized that an odd bird had showed up at her feeder. She and her husband keyed it out and then contacted the UA Museum. Appearances of odd birds need to be verified, either by an ornithologist, expert birder or a clear photograph. And it is very important that the people who maintain the database and bird collection at the UA Museum be notified whenever a bird is found this far out of its normal range.

The host has been inundated with calls from people around the country who want to add a Eurasian Bullfinch to their life list, and from local folks who just want to see this unique bird. She was been a gracious host and was willing to accommodate visitors as best as she could. Thanks for sharing!

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