The finch family is made up of several hundred kinds of small songbirds. These birds have a cone-shaped bill and eat seeds. Well-known finches include the canary, cardinal, goldfinch, and sparrow. Farmers like finches because they destroy weed seed.

Where finches live

Finches are found throughout the warm areas of the Northern Hemisphere, South America, and Africa. Because they eat seeds, many finches can spend the winter in cold areas. Finches are among the most common birds in many areas.

Physical characteristics

Finches are small birds. They range in length from 4 to 11 inches (10 to 28 centimeters). Many are brightly colored, often with different shades of red and yellow, as in crossbills, goldfinches, and cardinals. The ground dwellers, such as the sparrows, are streaked brown. Male tree dwellers are usually richly colored, while female and young male tree dwellers are often less colorful.

Behavior

Finches eat the seeds of grasses and weeds. Most use their heavy bills to crack the seeds. Many finches eat insects as well. The young birds, called nestlings, cannot crack seeds and so are usually fed insects.

Finches are generally excellent singers. Their songs range from unmusical notes to beautiful songs. Many kinds of finches are kept as cage birds.

Reproduction

Female finches build a cup-shaped nest of twigs, grasses, and roots on the ground or in bushes. They usually lay four or five eggs. Sometimes the female cares for them alone, but usually the male helps in raising the young. Two or three groups of young may be raised in a season.