Fieldfares are large thrushes from Scandinavia that winter in UK farmland. Harsh winters with snow cover can cause mass mortality when food access is blocked.
Fieldfare welfare is most threatened during prolonged cold snaps when hawthorn berry stocks are depleted and ground is frozen. Emaciated birds in poor body condition are observed in harsh winters. Maintaining berry-bearing hedgerows and providing soft fruit in gardens helps birds survive extreme weather. Agricultural intensification removing hawthorn-rich hedgerows has reduced the food base available during severe winters.