THE HAWFINCH 



COCCOTHR4USTES FULGARIS 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : A local resident, spar- 

 ingly distributed over England and Wales, but only an 

 accidental visitor to Scotland and Ireland. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : The comparative abundance of the Hawfinch 

 within the Metropolitan area is probably due to the bird's 

 shy and secretive habits. Perhaps it is nowhere quite 

 so common as in the Epping district, although there 

 are parts of Kent in the Grays, for instance that 

 might run that area close for the distinction. Passing 

 north, we find the bird resident in the Muswell Hill, En- 

 field, and Hampstead districts, also in those of Barnet, 

 Harrow, Wembley, Twyford, Ealing, Chiswick, and Oster- 

 ley. On the " Surrey side " it is found as a resident in 

 the vicinity of Richmond, Coombe Wood, Wimbledon, 

 Burgh Common, Mortlake, Ewell, and Croydon, besides, 

 of course, various intervening localities. How close to 

 the central portions of our radius the Hawfinch actually 

 breeds it is difficult to say, but it has been recorded as 

 having done so at Dulwich, which comes within the 

 five-mile circle. There are private grounds where this 

 Finch might breed and be overlooked even nearer to the 

 city than that. In winter the bird often wanders into 

 localities where it does not breed. It has been seen at 

 Streatham, and I can record it from the Willesden, 

 Twyford, and Wembley areas. 



The Hawfinch is one of the most secretive of our native 

 birds, and its presence in a district is very often quite 

 unsuspected, except ascertained by chance or the most 

 careful and persistent observation. Then, again, the 

 bird-catcher is responsible for its decreasing numbers, or 

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