Hawfinch is a large finch, up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) long with a big head and a thick, heavy bill. It uses its bill to crack open seeds as tough as cherry stones.
Hawfinches are orange-brown in color and have blackish wings with large patches. The male has a chestnut head and pinkish underparts, and both sexes have a black patch on their chest that looks like a baby’s bib. They are shy birds and spend a lot of time hidden in treetops, feeding on seeds and caterpillars.
Hawfinches are found in most of Europe, North Africa, Asia, and Japan. They live in broadleaf woodland, especially with beech or hornbeam trees.
