Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

I have heard occasionally about Hawfinches although I have never seen one. From pictures they look stunning, but I know they are quite hard to see.

Where can they be found, and how hard are they actually to see? What kind of numbers are there in the UK and what densities in the places they do live?

Thanks!

I know one particular place where they can be seen - but you have to be lucky - and that's at Cromford in Derbyshire. I have seen them in the trees along the banks of the river there, but they're also found sometimes in the yew trees in the church yard and in the trees along the canal.

You really do have to be lucky, they are very spasmodic in their appearences.

Thanks for that, sounds like you were very lucky to see them.

They're beautiful birds if you're lucky enough to see one. As always patience and being is the right place is key, there aren't that many around.

According to the RSPB website they are sometimes seen at the reserves in Nagshead, Gloucestershire and Blean Woods, Kent, so you might want to try there as well as Wild Canon's suggestion.

I've never seen a hawfinch. Have we got a pic?

Just noticed this Riana. Clumber Park, Notts is a great place for them. In the Yews at the back of the Chapel.
Also Kings Wood, nr Bawtry, North Notts/South Yorks border. The woods around Rossington Hall nr Rossington, Doncaster are a good shout too. Ive seen them from my parents house, perched in the Beeches at St Michaels Church, Rossington too!

You'll notice that churches feature largely in the sightings of hawfinches. This is because they are particularly partial to the fruit of that favourite churchyard tree, the yew. A sign that they are present is the noisy cracking of the hard casing of the yew fruit. The massive bills of the hawfinch are well adapted to dealing with such fruit.

Here's a couple of (very poor) pictures of hawfinch. They're grabs from a video I took at Cromford on a miserable day. Sorry I can't do any better!





You can clearly see the massive bill that makes it possible for the hawfinch to tackle the hardest of nuts.

Thanks for the photos Wild Canon. The bill is huge, I wouldn't have noticed if you wadn't pointed it out, but very interesting to see how they have evolved to crack the hardest nuts.

Yes, it is quite big for a bird that small.

There were a couple of Hawfinch at Bleinham, Oxon a few days ago.

Hi,

Have never seen a Hawfinch, but I live about 10 miles from Cromford, so am gonna get myself up there and sort the darned things out!!!