FINCH

any of several hundred species of small, conical-billed, seed-eating songbirds belonging to several families in the order Passeriformes. These families are the Fringillidae, Emberizidae, Estrildidae, Carduelidae, and Ploceidae (qq.v.), although authorities disagree as to which finchlike birds should be classified in each family. Other authorities place all finches within the family Fringillidae and treat the Carduelidae and other groups as mere subfamilies of the former. Well-known or interesting representatives of the finches include the bunting, canary, cardinal, chaffinch, crossbill, Galapagos finch, goldfinch, grass finch, grosbeak, sparrow, and weaver (qq.v.). Finches are small, compactly built birds ranging in length from 10 to 27 cm (3 to 10 inches). Most finches use their heavy conical bills to crack the seeds of grasses and weeds. Many species supplement their diet with insects as well. The nestlings are unable to crack seeds and so are usually fed insects. Many finches are brightly coloured, often with various shades of red and yellow, as in crossbills, goldfinches, and the cardinal. Others, especially those that live in grass or low bushes, are demurely clad and protectively coloured, though even these may be attractively spotted and streaked. Finches are conspicuous songbirds throughout the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere and South America and in parts of Africa. Indeed, they are among the dominant birds in many areas, in numbers both of individuals and of species. Several inconspicuous species of sparrows are particularly widespread, including the house sparrow (q.v.). The seed-eating habits of many finches allow them to winter in cold areas, so they comprise an even larger segment of the bird life at that season. Finches are generally excellent singers; one of the most famous of all songbirds, the canary, is a finch in the family Carduelidae. Finches' songs range from the monotonously unmusical notes of the grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) to the complex and beautiful repertoires of the song sparrow (Melospiza melodia). Many kinds of finches are kept as cage birds. The nesting habits of finches are not unusual. The females of most species build a cup-shaped nest of twigs, grasses, and roots on the ground or in bushes and lay four or five eggs. Sometimes the female incubates them alone, but usually the male assists in raising the young. Two or three broods may be raised in a season. Finches generally nest in scattered pairs but are highly gregarious at other times and are often seen in large flocks.