Page 381 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

FINCHES
Family Fringillidae
FINCHES

HERE ARE TWO MAIN groups of finches, the
TFringilla species (Chaffinch and Brambling)
and the Cardueline finches.The Chaffinch
and Brambling are clearly closely related, their
different colours arranged in very similar patterns;
they have the same basic shape and behaviour,
and frequently mingle in winter.
The others, however, are a very diverse group.
Their shapes and behaviour are strongly
determined by their food.The crossbills have
SOCIAL FEEDERS
remarkable beaks with crossed, hooked tips, Goldfinches feed on seeds that tend to be abundant in small areas, so
specially adapted to extracting seeds from conifer can afford to gather in large flocks.
cones.The Hawfinch
has a massive bill for as hips, while the Goldfinch and Siskin have
cracking open tough delicate, pointed bills for extracting seeds from
seeds and stones, such fruiting plants such as thistles and teazels and
as olive and cherry, from cones of trees such as larch and alder.
while the Bullfinch Some species, such as the redpolls, are acrobatic
has a softer, rounded and light enough to feed while perching on
bill for manipulating plants, while others are much less agile and feed
buds and soft fruits. while standing on the ground by pulling seed-
The Greenfinch has heads down with their bills.
a big bill, used for Most finches are gregarious but flock behaviour
WEED-EATERS dealing with strong varies:Chaffinches form loose aggregations,while
Twites feed on weed seeds and
unusually feed seeds, not insects, seeds and for tearing Twites, Redpolls, and Siskins dash about in flight
to their young chicks. open tough fruits such in tight, coordinated parties.

THIRSTY WORK
Crossbills eat an abundance of dry seeds and
must frequently pause to drink from a puddle
before flying off to another conifer.

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