Wildlife

Wild Fieldfare: Winter Welfare and Redwing Flocks

Fieldfares and redwings wintering in the UK depend on berry availability and weather conditions for welfare.

Key Facts

Fieldfares and redwings arrive in October from Scandinavia and Iceland for the winter
Hawthorn and holly berry abundance significantly affects flock survival over winter
Severe cold and snow causes fieldfares and redwings to move further south or west
Apple and hawthorn orchards provide essential food resources when berries are exhausted

Welfare Considerations

Wintering thrushes that cannot find sufficient berry food in cold conditions face starvation. Gardens and farms with berry-bearing native shrubs provide essential refuges during cold snaps. Maintaining native hedgerows with fruiting species is a direct welfare intervention for winter thrush welfare.

What You Can Do

Plant native berry-bearing shrubs including hawthorn, elder, and holly for winter thrushes
Leave fallen windfall apples on the ground as an additional winter food source
Report redwing and fieldfare sightings to BTO BirdTrack winter monitoring