A - Z Garden Bird Identification Index
(Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
The Hawfinch is a bird you are more likely to hear about than see, but catching sight of one is a memorable garden wildlife moment. Britain's largest finch is beautifully coloured, remarkably powerful and notoriously shy, usually keeping high in mature woodland. Winter offers the best chance of finding one, when bare trees make them easier to spot and continental birds join our resident population.
What does a Hawfinch look like?
The Hawfinch is Britain's largest finch, measuring around 18 cm in length. It is a chunky, powerful-looking bird with a large head, thick neck and an enormous conical bill that immediately sets it apart from other UK finches.
Its plumage is predominantly warm orange-brown and chestnut. Adults have a rich chestnut head, brown back and pale orange-brown underparts, with a distinctive black bib and black markings around the base of the bill. The wings show contrasting black and white, which can be particularly noticeable when the bird is in flight.
The Hawfinch's enormous bill is not simply for show. It is an exceptionally powerful tool capable of cracking the hard stones found inside cherries and other fruits. Its scientific name, Coccothraustes coccothraustes, reflects this reputation as a "kernel crusher".
Despite being a large finch, the Hawfinch can be surprisingly difficult to spot. It spends much of its time high in the canopy, where its muted brown colouring can blend remarkably well with branches and leaves.
What does a female Hawfinch look like?
Female Hawfinches are very similar to males but tend to be slightly duller and less strongly coloured, with paler orange-brown plumage.
The difference between the sexes is much less dramatic than with some other finches, so the bird's enormous bill, chunky shape and distinctive head markings are usually more useful for identification than sex.
What does a baby Hawfinch look like?
Young Hawfinches are duller than adults, with more yellowish-brown or buff plumage and less clearly defined markings. Their underparts can appear more heavily spotted or streaked than those of adults.
The huge bill is still an obvious feature, although it develops its full adult appearance as the young bird matures.
How big is a Hawfinch?
A Hawfinch is around 18 cm long, making it substantially larger and heavier than familiar garden finches such as Goldfinches and Chaffinches.
Its chunky body and oversized bill can make it look surprisingly large when seen alongside other finches. It weighs around 52g, roughly twice the weight of a typical Goldfinch.
Hawfinch call/song – What does a Hawfinch sound like?
Hawfinches are generally quiet and their song is rarely heard. Their calls are more useful when trying to locate them.
Listen for short, sharp "tik" or "tik-tik" notes, along with a distinctive high-pitched, repeated "seep-seep-seep" flight call. These can be surprisingly easy to hear even when the bird itself remains hidden high in the trees.
If you hear unfamiliar high-pitched calls coming from mature woodland in winter, it is worth scanning the treetops carefully. There may be Hawfinches nearby.
How long do Hawfinches live for?
Typical life expectancy is around three years for a Hawfinch that reaches breeding age, although some individuals live much longer. The current British ringing record is 10 years and four days, recorded in 2018 by the BTO. Hawfinches can begin breeding when they are around one year old.
Habitat & Nesting
Where do Hawfinches live?
Hawfinches are birds of mature woodland, particularly deciduous and mixed woodland containing trees such as hornbeam, beech, yew and wild cherry. They favour areas with plenty of mature trees and an open structure beneath the canopy.
In Britain, their breeding distribution is highly fragmented and concentrated mainly in parts of England and Wales, with much smaller numbers elsewhere. They are scarce rather than widespread, and even where they are present they can be remarkably difficult to find. BTO estimates the UK breeding population at around 500 pairs in its Bird Facts data, while noting that more recent estimates suggest it may be closer to 1,000 pairs.
For garden birdwatchers, the important point is that having Hawfinches in your wider area does not necessarily mean they will visit your feeders. They are strongly associated with mature woodland, and gardens close to suitable woodland are much more likely to encounter them.
Where do Hawfinches nest?
Hawfinches usually nest in mature trees, often placing their nests on horizontal branches or close to the trunk where they are concealed among foliage.
The nest is a relatively substantial cup made from twigs, roots and lichen, with finer plant material used for the lining.
They generally favour mature woodland rather than isolated garden trees, so nesting Hawfinches in an ordinary suburban garden would be unusual. However, gardens containing large mature trees can form part of the wider habitat used by the species.
Hawfinch nesting habits
Hawfinches normally have one brood each year. Breeding takes place during late spring and the female typically lays four or five eggs, although clutches can range from two to seven.
The eggs are pale blue, greyish or sometimes yellowish, with darker brown or reddish markings. The female does most of the incubation, although the male may occasionally assist, with incubation lasting around 11–13 days.
Both parents feed the young after they hatch. The chicks usually leave the nest after around 12–13 days, although they remain dependent on their parents for a period afterwards.
Hawfinches can nest close to one another where suitable habitat exists, although their breeding population is so sparse in Britain that finding a breeding colony is a special sight.
Where do Hawfinches sleep?
Outside the breeding season, Hawfinches can gather into communal roosts, often high in mature trees. Their habit of roosting together means that finding one bird can sometimes be a clue that others are nearby.
Their secretive nature makes these roosts difficult to locate, but winter is nevertheless the best season to look for them because the leafless canopy provides fewer places for them to hide.
Where do Hawfinches go in the winter?
Hawfinches that breed in Britain generally remain here, but the UK winter population can be significantly increased by birds arriving from continental Europe.
Their winter distribution is considerably wider than their breeding distribution. BTO describes them as a localised winter visitor, passage migrant and rare breeder, with autumn passage peaking in late October.
This is particularly important for garden birdwatchers. A garden that never sees a Hawfinch in summer may suddenly produce an exciting winter sighting, particularly in years when continental numbers are high.
RSPB also highlights winter as the best time to look for Hawfinches because migrant birds join Britain's resident population and bare trees make these canopy-dwelling birds easier to spot.
Diet & Feeding
What do Hawfinches eat in the wild?
The Hawfinch's enormous bill gives away much about its diet. It specialises in hard seeds and the stones of fruits, including those found inside cherries and other trees.
They feed on seeds from trees such as hornbeam, beech and yew, as well as wild cherry and other fruiting trees. During the breeding season they also take invertebrates to provide additional protein for growing young.
Hawfinches may forage high in the canopy, but they can also come down to the ground to feed or drink, particularly during winter.
What should you feed Hawfinches in the garden?
Hawfinches are not regular garden feeder visitors, so there is no food that guarantees attracting them.
If Hawfinches are already present locally, however, offering suitable high-energy seed may occasionally bring one into a garden. Sunflower hearts and good-quality wild bird seed mixes are sensible choices, particularly where the garden has mature trees and natural food sources are nearby.
The more important way to support Hawfinches is to provide the habitat they need. Mature trees, native shrubs and fruiting trees can offer natural food and shelter that a feeder cannot replace.
Where should you feed Hawfinches?
- Feeder: Suitable occasionally, particularly for birds already present locally
- Table: Less suitable
- Ground: Can be used occasionally, particularly beneath mature trees
If you are lucky enough to attract a Hawfinch, a hanging feeder positioned near suitable trees can provide a useful opportunity to observe it. However, don't be surprised if it ignores your feeders completely. Their natural diet and woodland lifestyle mean that many Hawfinches will never become regular garden birds.
How to attract Hawfinches to your garden?
There is no guaranteed way to attract a Hawfinch, and trying to do so with food alone is unlikely to work.
Your best chance is to create a garden that forms part of the habitat they already favour. Mature trees are particularly important, especially beech, hornbeam, yew and fruiting trees such as wild cherry.
Allowing trees to mature, planting native shrubs and maintaining a range of natural food sources can make a garden more useful to wildlife generally and may provide opportunities for a visiting Hawfinch.
If you live close to mature woodland, particularly in an area known for Hawfinches, keep watching during the winter. A Hawfinch may occasionally appear in a garden seemingly out of nowhere.
And if one does, count yourself lucky. These are among Britain's most elusive finches.
Hawfinches in the Garden: A Rare but Wonderful Visitor
For most people who feed garden birds, a Hawfinch isn't going to be an everyday visitor like a Blue Tit, Goldfinch or Chaffinch. That's part of what makes seeing one so exciting.
They are shy, secretive birds and their British breeding population has declined substantially. BTO records a 76% contraction in breeding range between 1968–72 and 2008–11, and the species has been Red-listed since 2009.
Yet winter can bring a change in fortunes. Continental birds swell the British population and, with the leaves gone from the trees, these usually hidden birds become easier to find. RSPB notes that they can occasionally turn up in parks and gardens with mature trees during this period.
So if you spot a chunky, orange-brown finch with an enormous bill sitting high in a tree above your garden, take a second look. You may have found one of Britain's most elusive garden visitors.
Explore more in our A-Z Bird Identification Guide to discover other garden visitors and learn what to feed them.
