Azores bullfinch

Scientific name: Pyrrhula murina

The Azores bullfinch is a small bird found in a limited range in Portugal, in forests and shrubland at higher altitudes. This small range likely played a part in the decline of this species, along with habitat loss to farmland and hunting by humans, both as pest control and for collection. Small populations are also vulnerable to inbreeding and more at risk from habitat loss and extreme weather conditions.

The IUCN declared the species endangered in 2000 before upgrading it to critically endangered in 2005. The Azores bullfinch kept its critically endangered classification until 2010, when it was downgraded to endangered. Since 2016, it’s been classed as vulnerable.

Several conservation efforts have been put in place to help restore the Azores bullfinch population. The bird is protected under Portuguese law. Its habitat in Pico da Vara/Ribeira do Guilherme was designated as a Special Protected Area under the LIFE Priolo Project in 2007.

Other successful conservation efforts include land management initiatives to remove invasive speciesand replant native species, educational programs for people living in the local area, and monitoring the species through capture and tagging.