Variety of trees

Hawfinches are tied to large stretches of mature woodland that – crucially – have a good mix of tree species. The birds love to feed on cherry, holly and plum stones, beech mast, ash ‘keys’, and seeds of hornbeam, elm, yew and hawthorn.

Brute force

Like a miniature parrot, the hawfinch can exert tremendous pressure with its jaw muscles and conical bill – equivalent to 150 pounds per square inch.

Wide-ranging

RSPB researchers are radiotagging 20 female hawfinches a year in the Wye Valley and North Wales. The tags, which last about six weeks, show that the birds forage up to 5km from their nests during the breeding season – a huge area for birds of this size. One female whose nest failed nested again that summer several kilometres away.

Key strongholds

This shy species is hard to survey so may be underrecorded, but in 2011 its British population was estimated at just 800 pairs. Its four main strongholds are the Forest of Dean/Wye Valley, New Forest, North Wales and Cumbria.

Giveaway call

The hawfinch flight call is a staccato ‘tick’, like a song thrush or robin.

Guided walks

The wooded grounds of the National Trust’s Sizergh Castle in Cumbria are a reliable site. Spring walks are popular.