Finch

True Finches

Evening Grosbeak <tr><th bgcolor=pink>Scientific classification <tr><td>

<tr><td>Kingdom:<td>Animalia <tr><td>Phylum:<td>Chordata <tr><td>Class:<td>Aves <tr><td>Order:<td>Passeriformes <tr><td>Family:<td>Fringillidae </table> <tr><th bgcolor=pink>Genera <tr><td> Many, see text </table> Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, the many species of which are found chiefly in the northern hemisphere, but also to a limited extent in Africa and South America. They are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Their nests are basket-shaped and built in trees.

Species

Family Fringillidae
- Subfamily Fringillinae - Fringilline finches; contains only three species, which feed their young insects rather than seeds.
  - Genus Fringilla - Bramblings and chaffinches
    - Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
    - Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla teydea)
    - Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
- Subfamily Carduelinae - Cardueline finches; a much larger group that contains several genera which feed their young on seeds.
  - Genus Serinus - Canaries, seedeaters, serins and some siskins
  - Genus Carduelis - Linnets, redpolls, goldfinches, greenfinches, some siskins.
  - Genus Carpodacus - Rosefinches
  - Genus Loxia - Crossbills
  - Genus Mycerobas - Grosbeaks
  - Genus Neospiza - Sao Tom� Grosbeak
  - Genus Linurgus - Oriole Finch
  - Genus Rhynchostruthus - Golden-winged Grosbeak
  - Genus Leucosticte - Mountain finches
  - Genus Calacanthis - Red-browed Finch
  - Genus Rhodopechys - Trumpeter Finch and relatives
  - Genus Uragus - Long-tailed Rosefinch
  - Genus Urocynchramus - Przewalski's Rosefinch
  - Genus Pinicola - Pine grosbeaks
  - Genus Haematospiza - Scarlet Finch
  - Genus Pyrrhula - Bullfinches
  - Genus Coccothraustes - Hawfinch, Evening Grosbeak
  - Genus Eophona - Oriental grosbeaks
  - Genus Pyrrhoplectes - Gold-naped Finch

There are many other birds in other groups which are called finches, notably the very similar-looking Estrildids or waxbills, which occur in the Old World tropics and Australia.

Some of the closely related sparrows are also named as "finches", as are some buntings.

Some other Cardueline finch species not listed above:
- Sao Tome Grosbeak (Neospiza concolor)
- Oriole Finch (Linurgus olivaceus)
- Golden-winged Grosbeak (Rhynchostruthus socotranus)
- Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
- Crimson-browed Finch (Pinicola subhimachalus)
- Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
- Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
- Hooded Grosbeak (Coccothraustes abeillei)
- Yellow-billed Grosbeak (Eophona migratoria)
- Japanese Grosbeak (Eophona personata)
- Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (Mycerobas icterioides)
- Collared Grosbeak (Mycerobas affinis)
- Spot-winged Grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos)
- White-winged Grosbeak (Mycerobas carnipes)
- Gold-naped Finch (Pyrrhoplectes epauletta)
- Spectacled Finch (Callacanthis burtoni)
- Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys sanguinea)
- Trumpeter Finch (Rhodopechys githaginea)
- Mongolian Finch (Rhodopechys mongolica)
- Desert Finch (Rhodopechys obsoleta)
- Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus)
- Scarlet Finch (Haematospiza sipahi)

References

Finches and Sparrows by Clement, Harris and Davis, ISBN 0-7136-8017-2

External links

Darwin finches (http://www.darwinadventure.com/galapagos-darwin-finches.htm)

cy:Llinos de:Finken eo:Fringedoj nl:Vinkachtigen ja:アトリ科 (Sibley) pl:Łuszczaki

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