What is a finch?
Historically the word ‘finch” was applied to the chaffinch, Fringella coelebs, and apparently derived from one its calls. With European colonisation of the world the name “finch” was applied to many small birds, all of which had short conical bills. The has led the the word “finch’ being used to describe birds from many and varied groups. The use of “finch” has been applied to four main families: A) Emberizidae- Buntings, Cardinals, Tanagers B) Estrildidae- Waxbills C) Fringillidae- Finches D) ploceidae- Sparrows, Weavers, Whydahs. These four families cover over 900 species of birds, and obviously have a wide range of shapes, sizes, colours and behavioural patterns.
