- Hawfinches in Britain
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Hawfinch ("Coccothraustes coccothraustes") is a species offinch with a limited, fairly scarce breeding distribution inGreat Britain . It is more abundant further south and east inEurope andAsia .tatus summary
In the 18th century, the Hawfinch was recorded as only a rare winter visitor in Britain. The first breeding record was early in the 19th century; by the early 1830s, a well-documented colony was established at
Epping Forest inEssex , and breeding was also recorded in other counties east and south ofLondon . Further expansion of the range continued through the 19th and 20th centuries, with breeding occurring as far north asAberdeenshire by 1968–1972. Peak numbers were in the period 1983–1990. Subsequently, there has been a significant decline of between 37% and 45% between 1990–1999.Holloway, S. (1996). "The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1875–1900". T & A D Poyser ISBN 0-85661-094-1.] Sharrock, J. T. R. (1976). "The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland". British Trust for Ornithology / Irish Wildbird Conservancy ISBN 0-903793-01-6.] Gibbons, D. W., Reid, J. B., & Chapman, R. A., eds. (1993). "The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988–1991". T & A D Poyser ISBN 0-85661-075-5.] Langston, R. H. W., Gregory, R. D., & Adams, R. (2002). The status of the Hawfinch in the UK 1975-1999. "British Birds" 95: 166-173.]Region by region
outheast England
Southeast England is the stronghold of Hawfinch in Britain. One well-known site is
Bedgebury Pinetum , where flocks gather to roost in winter. The species is also found in theNew Forest ; a central roost site exists here, at theBlackwater Arboretum .outhwest England
In
Devon , Hawfinch is largely confined to the upperTeign Valley .Western England and Wales
Two areas in which Hawfinch reliably occurs are the
Forest of Dean and theWyre Forest .Eastern England
Hawfinch is present in the
Breckland of East Anglia.Northern England
Hawfinches are regularly found in a small number of locations in northern England. Prime sites include
Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire andHulne Park in Northumberland.cotland
Scone Palace near Perth is the most well-known site in Scotland for Hawfinch. Formerly, they also occurred in theRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh . Hellotatus as a Migrant
References
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