Toughest bird to breed? Of our native finches, it’s the hawfinch, no question. It’s a princely bird that has baffled many a seasoned finch-breeder who has succeeded with plenty of other species. We get an inkling of the challenge – but the good news is that more people are now getting it right. And we look at hawfinch food: a favourite one, the sinister yew tree. Contradictions abound in the fancy: is this tree poisonous and therefore a danger to use as aviary foliage, or not? We provide an expert assessment. On the legal front, we consider what the just-announced UK-EU trade arrangements could make. We discuss the positive role of “online” in the future of the hobby, and hear from regular contributors on British birds, Borders, Bengalese and softbills.

Toughest bird to breed? Of our native finches, it’s the hawfinch, no question. It’s a princely bird that has baffled many a seasoned finch-breeder who has succeeded with plenty of other species. We get an inkling of the challenge – but the good news is that more people are now getting it right. And we look at hawfinch food: a favourite one,....