Fauna
Plant

Common Hazel

Corylus avellana

Also known as European Hazel, Hazelnut, European Filbert, Cobnut

Common hazel forms dense, multi-stemmed thickets across European woodlands, recognized in late winter by yellow male catkins that dangle alongside tiny, crimson-styled female blossoms. The round nuts mature inside leafy husks by early autumn, providing a critical energy source for small mammals and birds that cache them for winter. Historically managed through traditional coppicing, these resilient shrubs can survive for centuries while creating rich understory habitat.

DeciduousFloweringNut-bearing
Common Hazel reference1 / 7
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Eurasian Jay
  • Red Squirrel
  • Wood Mouse
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, excessive browsing by deer, land clearing
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, hedgerows, scrublands, forest edges
Life span50–80 years (up to several hundred if coppiced)
Classification
  1. OrderFagales
  2. FamilyBetulaceae
  3. GenusCorylus
  4. SpeciesCorylus avellana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild nuts have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild plants based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Spring Observation: Look for dangling yellow male catkins and tiny red female flowers in late winter.
  • Woodland Signs: Search around the base for small circular gnaw marks left by dormice eating nuts.
  • Growth Habit: Notice how traditional coppicing produces straight stems historically cut for hurdles.
Related species
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