Hawfinch

Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Hawfinch, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern	Red listed
Species of European Conservation Concern	Least Concern
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)	Least Concern
Schedule 1 license required (to disturb)	No
Birds Directive Annex 1	No
Listed on the Annexes of	Bern(III), NERC (41)

This species is difficult to monitor due its scarcity and elusive behaviour, but analysis of county bird reports suggested the population increased in the 1970s and early 1980s but decreased in the 1990s (Langston et al. 2002). This decline has continued subsequently and the distribution of the species in the UK has declined substantially over the last fifty years (Balmer et al. 2013). The Hawfinch was consequently added to the Rare Breeding Birds Panel list in 2006, and the current breeding population of Hawfinch is likely to be around 1,000 pairs (Eaton et al. 2021).

Hawfinches are a scarce breeder in Britain with a highly fragmented breeding distribution associated with larger tracts of mature broad-leaved and mixed woodland; it is more than three times more widespread in winter. In Ireland it does not breed and is only an irregular winter visitor.

Between 1968–72 and 2008–11 the breeding range of the Hawfinch contracted by 76% in Britain, although the majority of losses occured since the 1988–91 Breeding Atlas. Losses are most concentrated in southeast England but extend into southeast Scotland. Although not monitored at a national scale, several sources point to a sustained population decline. In contrast, the British winter range has expanded by 28% expansion since the 1981–84 Winter Atlas, with gains most prevalent along the southwestern fringe of the range.

Hawfinch is a localised winter visitor, passage migrant and rare breeder. Autumn passage peaks in late October.

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report

Maximum Age from Ringing

10 years 0 months 4 days (set in 2018)

Wing Length	Adults	104.6±3.6 | Range 99–111mm, N=61
	Males	105.8±3.7 | Range 100–112mm, N=29
	Females	103.5±3.2 | Range 98–109mm, N=32

Body Weight	Adults	52.3±5.1 | Range 45.4–60.0g, N=62
	Males	53.4±5.7 | Range 46.0–63.0g, N=30
	Females	51.4±4.5 | Range 44.0–60.0g, N=32

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

Ring size	B+
Field Codes	2-letter: HF | 5-letter code: HAWFI | Euring: 17170

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Causes of change

The causes of the decline in the UK are not yet known and the decline contrasts with mainland Europe where numbers have remained stable (PECBMS). Habitat loss, habitat degradation and predation have been suggested as possible causes of decline in the UK but have not been fully investigated (Langston et al. 2002). Based on the distribution from the most recent Bird Atlas (2008–11) Hawfinches are most likely to have persisted in areas with high woodland cover and where there has not been recent woodland management, although the presence of open areas within woodlands is important (Kirby et al. 2015). Although recent estimates from the Nest Record Scheme have suggested nest productivity may be low, nest success rate is unlikely to be the cause of decline as nest success rates during an intensive study across two areas in 2013–17 were similar to that from other studies of Hawfinch or similar species (Kirby et al. 2018); hence survival (of fledglings or adults) is more likely to be driving the UK decline.