Finch
This is the sighted version that was marked on June 3, 2021. There is 1 pending change that needs to be sighted.
The title of this article is ambiguous. For other meanings, see Finches (disambiguation).
The finches (Fringillidae) are a species-rich family from the order of passerine birds (Passeriformes). The
finches (Estrildidae) and some species of the buntings (Emberizidae), tanagers (Thraupidae), cardinals (Cardinalidae), sparrows (Passeridae) and weaver birds (Ploceidae) are
also called "finches".
Some scientists include the
starlings (Icteridae), warblers
(Parulidae), buntings, tanagers, cardinals, warblers (Peudedramidae) and rosy-tails (Urocynchramidae) in the Fringillidae in a
broader version of the family.
The finch family contains 40 genera, 6 of which are extinct, and about 200 species, 14 of which are extinct.
Heraldically and speaking they are represented on the municipal coat of arms of Fincken.
Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
Appearance
Finches are small to medium-sized birds from 9 to 26 cm in length. They have a strong, usually conical beak, which is very large in the "hawfinches". The bills of the crossbills (Loxia) are conspicuous, their tips being crossed. All species have 12 tail feathers and 9 wing feathers. The tail end is usually notched.
The coloration of the plumage varies greatly within the family. The range extends from inconspicuous grey, greenish or brownish birds to species with conspicuous yellow, red or blue plumage, such as in Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), Iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) or the species of the tropical subfamily of Organists (Euphoniinae). In many species, the males are more conspicuously colored than the females. In some, the winter plumage is plainer than the breeding plumage, or the bill is lighter in winter, as in the hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes).
Circulation
Finches are distributed almost worldwide with natural occurrences. They are only absent from Antarctica, numerous small oceanic islands, as well as Madagascar, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. The greatest diversity occurs in Asia, with 18 genera and about 70 species. In Europe, however, there are only 20 species from 8 genera. Africa possesses about 50 species and is with 35 species the unfolding-center of the Girlitz (Serinus). In North and South America together, about 60 types from 8 types are native. The organists (Euphoniinae) occur exclusively here, and the American siskins of the genus Spinus are particularly richly represented with 19 species. In the Hawaiian Islands, the tribus of Dress Birds (Drepanidini) has diversified very richly, with 34 species originally.
Some species of the family have been naturalized
beyond their original range, for example in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii.
Questions and Answers
Q: What family do finches belong to?
A: Finches belong to the family Fringillidae.
Q: What is the meaning of Fringillidae?
A: Fringillidae comes from the Latin word fringilla, which means Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), a common bird in Europe.
Q: What do finches mostly eat?
A: Finches are mostly seed-eaters.
Q: Where are most species of finches native to?
A: Most species of finches are native to the Southern Hemisphere.
Q: What are some other birds that are commonly called finches?
A: Some other birds that are commonly called finches include species in the waxbills (family Passeridae), bunting and American sparrow family (Emberizidae), and Darwin's 'finches' of the Galapagos Islands (now recognized to be tanagers).
Q: Where is one subfamily of finches endemic to?
A: One subfamily of finches is endemic to the Neotropics.
Q: What is happening to some species of finches?
A: Some species of finches are being imported or smuggled into other countries and sold as exotic pets.
