Hawfinch

    Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Castilian: Picogordo

Catalan: Durbec

Gallego: Bicogroso

Euskera: Mokolodia

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Fringillidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

Very sensitive to disturbances in its habitat. It is also seriously threatened by indiscriminate hunting with nets, shotguns, and traps.

Length / size: 18 cm / 29-33 cm

Identification: Bird with a large head and powerful bill that is triangle-shaped and has a very wide insertion. The plumage on its breast is ochre-coloured, its back is brown, and its wings are dark with white spots that are very visible in flight. The male's head is grey and bright orange, and the edges of his wings are bluish; the female's colours are duller on her head and the edges of her wings are paler.

Song: Its song is a simple and discreet "zrree zrree zrree", only audible when near the bird.

Diet: It consumes a large quantity of fruits and large seeds, olives, rosehips, and cherries; it also eats leaf buds and soft stalks from trees and bushes. In spring, insects form part of its diet.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in April. They place the nest on horizontal branches and use twigs, roots and lichens. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks.

HABITAT

It prefers mature, hilly forests and those found on mountains with abundant undergrowth and nearby water sources. In winter it moves into lower areas.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: Most of the populations are located in Castile and León, Extremadura, Madrid, and Andalusia. It is rare in the Cantabrian and Pyrenees Mountains.

In Castile and León: The highest densities are located in Salamanca, Segovia and Valladolid. It is rarer in Burgos and Zamora.

Movements and migrations: It is a partially migratory species, even if there are populations that behave as sedentary. Europeans specimens arrive during winter.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 5000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of 2400 breeding pairs.