Fringillidae - Definition and Overview

For other uses, see Finch (disambiguation).

True Finches
Evening Grosbeak
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
Genera
Many, see text

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 Tomé 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