The Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) is one of our largest finches. From the domestic sparrow, which otherwise belongs to the sparrow family, it is somewhat larger and considerably stronger, more stocky. It has a short tail, strong chest and a large head with an exceptionally powerful beak. When fully stretched, the Hawfinch measures 16 to 18 cm.
The hawfinch, especially the male in nuptial plumage, is a colorful bird with an orange-brown head, ash-gray collar, black throat, and a stripe between the eyes and the beak. The conical beak, which in summer is bluish-black, becomes light brown in winter. The back is dark brown, as is the shoulder portion of the wing, which through a white and brown band passes into a black and violet-blue terminal part of the wing. The tail and the upper side of the tail are light brown, and the tip of the tail (which is black on the sides) is adorned with a broad white edge. Its chest and underside are brownish-pink. In the breeding season there is a contrast between the brown body color and the black wings with white bands and the black and white tail.
Females have the same pattern, but are somewhat duller in color. The hawfinch, despite its strength, is an extremely cautious and shy bird, spending most of the time in the crowns of trees and it can be seen up close only rarely. It is active by day, when it searches for seeds and kernels, which it easily crushes; especially the kernel of cherry seeds is to its taste. When the opportunity arises, it also catches some insects.
The hawfinch is a common year-round species here; in winter, hawfinches that nested in the northeast of Europe join us. In our country it nests in April and May, builds a cup-shaped nest from twigs and usually places it high in the crown of a deciduous tree. The hawfinch's habitat is mixed and deciduous forests; it particularly likes mature stands of oak, white poplar or beech forests and areas overgrown with poplars and aspens. We also meet it in parks or gardens with old, large trees.
