Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes
The Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) is a common finches, euphonias, and alli found in 75 countries, weighing about 57 g. The hawfinch is a passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.
About the Hawfinch
The hawfinch is a passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is the only extant species placed in the genus Coccothraustes. Its closest living relatives are the genus Eophona of East Asia, and Hesperiphona of Central and North America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The hawfinch has an overall length of 18 cm (7.1 in), with a wingspan that ranges from 29 to 33 cm (11 to 13 in). It weighs 46–70 g (1.6–2.5 oz) with the male being on average slightly heavier than the female. It is a robust bird with a thick neck, large round head and a wide, strong conical beak with a metallic appearance. It has short pinkish legs with a light hue and it has a short tail. It has brown eyes. The plumage of the female is slightly paler than that of the male. The overall colour is light brown, its head having an orange hue to it.
What the Hawfinch sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Canada, Guernsey, Jordan, Isle of Man, Malta.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Hawfinch?
- The hawfinch has an overall length of 18 cm (7.1 in), with a wingspan that ranges from 29 to 33 cm (11 to 13 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Hawfinch?
- The Hawfinch is a small sized bird weighing about 57 g.
- Where can you see a Hawfinch?
- The Hawfinch occurs in 75 countries, including Sweden, France, Germany, Norway and Spain.
- What does a Hawfinch sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Hawfinch on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Hawfinch?
- The Hawfinch is most easily confused with the Evening Grosbeak, the Red Crossbill and the European Serin.
- Is the Hawfinch endangered?
- The Hawfinch is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Hawfinch for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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