British Birds In Avicuture - an indepth view of breeding British softbill & hardbills

Hawfinch by Paul Meek

coccothraustes coccothraustes

Experience level needed in this species in there keeping and breeding:
~~Novice~~ - Intermediate - Experienced

Things to take into account if you're just starting out with Hawfinch

The Hawfinch are a very hardy bird, needs plenty of live food for rearing young, only house breeding pairs by them selves. Cocks can some times be very aggressive & quite long lived.


Male Hawfinch	Female Hawfinch

Distribution:

Britain and Europe

Size:

Approx 18cm

Feeding:

Winter Feeding diet:
A good basic British finch mix with extra sunflower, hemp, safflower and grouts, soaked Haiths redband and a little eggfood. A few mealworms every week.
Fruit (apple, pear, cherries).
Can be housed in groups but single sexes only, I always split my pairs in September.

Breeding Diet:
Soaked Haiths redband, eggfood, increase the live food mealworms, pinkies, waxworms, and buffalo worms. Fruit (apple, pear, cherries).
When they have young supply plenty of livefood pinkies, buffalo worms, mealworms, waxworms etc

Sexing:

Males brighter than the female also females have grey secondries.

Color mutations:
none established

General information:

The Hawfinch is widely distributed around Europe, they are a shy and secretive bird flying away at any sign of disturbance, very fond of beech mast and hornbeam.
Often seen in small groups in winter period, often found in orchards.

How You Introduce Pairs:

In March place the female in the breeding aviary, about 2 weeks later place the cock into the aviary, care must be taken to watch if they fight but this normally subsides.
When I used to breed these birds I found that the female had to be boss if you wanted them to breed.

Housing:

Hawfinches can be caged but must be placed in aviaries to breed, I have bred them in 3`x 4` but a larger aviary would be more suitable about 6` x 3`, I find it good when pairing them up to have 2 feeding stations.

When To Breed:

Hawfinches are late nesters and usually go to nest in May. They lay between 3-5 eggs incubated for 11-13 days the young fledge 12-13 days.

Nest Sites:

Offer 2 nest sites, wicker baskets surrounded with artificial Christmas tree is ideal, jute, sisal, mosses twig (silver birch).

Potential Ailments:

Hawfinches are very hardy and don’t really become ill to much, treat once or twice a year for cocci.

Annual medication:
ESB twice a year and once a year with Theraprim.

Any other information you may think useful:

Ring the young with size K BBC or IOA rings; watch for any aggression among these birds especially when pairing up.