- Lifespan
- 8–10 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 27–29 cm, wingspan 42–51 cm; 100–165 g
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, parks, orchards, and gardens with scattered trees, particularly where mistletoe and berry-bearing plants are abundant.
- UK Distribution
- Resident throughout much of the UK, though numbers increase in autumn and winter with continental birds arriving. More widespread in England and Wales than in Scotland.
- Diet
- Primarily mistletoe berries, rowan berries, hawthorn berries, and other fruits in winter; insects, especially flies and beetles, in summer.
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, Eurasian jays, and occasionally Eurasian buzzards.
- Mating Season
- March to June
- Breeding
- Clutch of 3–5 eggs; incubation period 12–14 days; fledging at 13–15 days. Typically two broods per season.
- Behaviour
- Highly aggressive and territorial birds, known for defending berry-laden trees vigorously against rivals even in harsh weather. Often found in pairs or small flocks, with a characteristic loud, rattling call. They are noted for feeding conspicuously in winter, often high in trees.