Fieldfares in Finland
When the Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is present in Finland, when it nests, and which native Finland plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Finland
- Summer visitor
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Size
- 25.5 cm, 100 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect fieldfares in Finland
The Fieldfare arrives in Finland in spring to breed and leaves again in autumn. Brief, bright summers; nesting is compressed into May–July.
Boreal continental, forested and lake-strewn.
Nesting in Finland
In Finland the Fieldfare usually nests June–July. Nest site: loose colonies in birch and conifer woods. Clutches are 5–6 eggs, incubated for 10–13 days; chicks fledge after 12–16 days, and pairs raise 1–2 per year.
- The Fieldfare does not use enclosed nest boxes — dense native shrubs and climbers give it nest sites.
- Avoid cutting hedges during the nesting season (roughly March to August) — in the UK, disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Native Finland plants for fieldfares
Of the native plants we track for Finland, these 8 provide food the Fieldfare uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Orange-red berries are a magnet for Blackbirds, thrushes and Waxwings from August.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Hips persist into winter for thrushes and finches.
Translucent red berries in autumn.
Blackberries and impenetrable nesting cover.
Red arils (not the seeds) eaten by thrushes; dense evergreen roosts.
Berry-like cones taken by thrushes in winter.
Feeding in the garden
Berries and fallen fruit in winter; invertebrates in summer.
- Best foods: Apples (whole or halved), Soaked sultanas.
- Feeders: Ground tray.
- Fieldfares come into gardens only in snow; windfall apples are the best offering.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are fieldfares in Finland all year?
No. The Fieldfare is a summer visitor to Finland, arriving to breed and leaving in autumn.
When do fieldfares nest in Finland?
Typically June–July. Clutches are 5–6 eggs, incubated for 10–13 days, with 1–2 per year.
Which native plants help fieldfares in Finland?
Hawthorn, Rowan, Blackthorn, Dog rose, Guelder rose, Bramble, Yew, Juniper are native to Finland and provide food or cover the Fieldfare uses.
Fieldfares in other countries
Other garden birds in Finland
Sources
- Fieldfare — RSPB bird guide
- Fieldfare — BTO BirdFacts
- Finnish Bird Atlas — Finnish Museum of Natural History
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.