Difference between revisions of "Finch" - New World Encyclopedia

Revision as of 10:29, 4 August 2006

True Finches

File:Eveninggrosbeak12.jpg
Evening Grosbeak

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Fringillidae Vigors, 1825

Genera

Many, see text

Finches are often seed-eating passerine birds, the many species of which are found chiefly in the northern hemisphere, but they also occur in Africa, and one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics. The finch family, Fringillidae, also contains the Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae).

"Classic finches" 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 on 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 Callacanthis - Red-browed Finch
  - Genus Rhodopechys - Trumpeter Finch and relatives
  - Genus Uragus - Long-tailed Rosefinch
  - Genus Urocynchramus - Przewalski's Rosefinch
  - Genus Chaunoproctus - Bonin Grosbeak (extinct)
  - 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
- Subfamily Euphoniinae - Euphonious finches; endemic to the Neotropics; formerly treated in Thraupidae.
  - Genus Euphonia, the euphonias
  - Genus Chlorophonia, the chlorophonias
- Subfamily Drepanidinae - Hawaiian honeycreepers

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.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

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

External links

Finch Info & Pictures Information and pictures about various types of finches.
FinchInfo.com Information on keeping finches as pets.
Finch videos on the Internet Bird Collection

Credits

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Finch ^history

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History of "Finch"

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-{{otheruses}}
-{{Taxobox
-| color = pink
+{{Taxobox_begin | color=pink | name=True Finches}}
-| name = True Finches
+{{Taxobox_image | image = [[Image:Eveninggrosbeak12.jpg|200px|]] | caption = [[Evening Grosbeak]]}}
-| image = Eveninggrosbeak12.jpg
+{{Taxobox_begin_placement | color = pink}}
-| image_width = 200px
+{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
-| image_caption = [[Evening Grosbeak]]
+{{Taxobox_phylum_entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
-| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
+{{Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = [[bird|Aves]]}}
-| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
+{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = [[Passerine|Passeriformes]]}}
-| classis = [[bird|Aves]]
+{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = '''Fringillidae'''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = [[Nicholas Aylward Vigors|Vigors]] | date = 1825}}
-| ordo = [[Passerine|Passeriformes]]
+{{Taxobox_end_placement}}
-| familia = '''Fringillidae'''
+{{Taxobox_section_subdivision | color = pink | plural_taxon = Genera}}
-| familia_authority = [[Nicholas Aylward Vigors|Vigors]], 1825
-| subdivision_ranks = Genera
-| subdivision =
 ''Many, see text''
-}}
+{{Taxobox_end}}
 '''Finches''' are often [[seed]]-eating [[passerine]] [[bird]]s, the many [[species]] of which are found chiefly in the northern hemisphere, but they also occur in [[Africa]], and one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics.  The finch family, Fringillidae, also contains the Hawaiian honeycreepers ([[Drepanididae|Drepanidinae]]).