1. Hawfinch – Coccothraustes coccothraustes
The hawfinch is a medium-sized bird with a body length of 18-22 cm and a weight of 50-60 g. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is brown, the bottom of the body is white, there is a characteristic reddish or pink hue on the chest. Its beak is large and strong, which allows to crack the seeds of nuts and other hard fruits.
Hawfinch is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Ukraine, it nests throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
Hawfinch is a sedentary bird. It lives in forests, parks, gardens and fields. Hawfinch nests in the hollows of trees, sometimes occupying the nests of other birds. The nest is built of small branches, moss and lichens. There are usually 4-5 eggs in the clutch of the hawfinch. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 12-14 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
Hawfinch feeds on seeds, nuts, berries and fruits. It also catches insects and their larvae. Hawfinch often splits seeds of nuts and other hard fruits using its strong beak.
Hawfinch is a fairly common species and is not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko