This beautiful bird is universally admired both for its wonderful and musical powers, and its mild and inoffensive manners. It can be taught to whistle airs and melodies distinctly and accurately, with a soft and flute-like tone. It is also very tractable and obedient, and can be easily learned to come at the call of its master or mistress, and sit upon their finger and whistle a popular air or waltz. Its natural notes are also soft, sweet, and musical; it is, therefore, a general favorite, especially with the ladies. Those that are taught are called Piping Bullfinches, and are imported from England and Germany; they are commonly taught with a bird organ; but the voice, and whistling or a flageolet, are recommended as superior. The Bullfinch will pair with a Canary, a tame hen Bullfinch with a spirited male Canary. The produce is a soft and very musical singing mule.

Food

I have kept these birds in good health upon Canary and rape seed, and occasionally a little hemp seed; but the last must be given to them very sparingly, as these birds take but little exercise in a cage, and like some old gentlemen, they are naturally inclined to get corpulent. Some feed them on rape alone, but the Canary makes a little more variety for them, and even a very little hempseed at intervals I do not think is hurtful. It is said, that this bird's plumage may be altogether changed to black by being fed upon hempseed alone; this I rather doubt. I once saw a Sky Lark, which hung in its cage from the roof of a large apothecary's store; it was a favorite bird, and a fine singer; it had grown quite black. As the person that owned the bird had kept it a good many years, I gave as a cause old age; but the old gentleman said it was his opinion, that the change of color was brought on by the bird's inhaling the effluvia of the drugs.

Characteristics Of The Sexes

The upper parts and tail of the male of this bird (with the exception of the shoulders, which are a bluish gray) are a rich glossy black; the cheeks, throat, and under parts a delicate red; the rump, vent, and under tail coverts, pure white. The female has the upper parts more of a brownish tint; the red on the breast is also brownish; it has not the beautiful clearness of the male in any of the colors.

Location

Found throughout Europe-Resident.