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Finch
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European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) European greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Listen: The song of the zebra finch
A zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) with a bright orange beak, gray head, orange cheek patch, and black-and-white striped tail perches on a branch. Hear the songs of many different birds. A Gouldian finch (Chloebia gouldiae) with a red face, turquoise and black head, purple chest, yellow belly, and green back perches on a thin branch. house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) A song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) perched on a cattail stem, beak open as if singing, with brown streaked plumage and a blurred green background. star finch Darwin's finches
Quizzes
Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.
Ultimate Animals Quiz
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
Animal Group Names
pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae
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Lion (panthera leo)
Deadliest Animals Quiz
Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)
Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz
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European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). This member of the family Fringillidae is most common in Europe, but its geographic range extends to northern Africa and Central Asia. Populations also occur in southern Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Finch

bird
Written by
Sy Montgomery
Natural history writer. Author of Journey of the Pink Dolhpins: An Amazon Quest and Spell of the Tiger in addition to other books and articles.
Sy Montgomery
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

Finch, any of several hundred species of small conical-billed seed-eating songbirds (order Passeriformes). Well-known or interesting birds called finches include the bunting, canary, cardinal, chaffinch, crossbill, Galapagos finch, goldfinch, grass finch, grosbeak, sparrow, euphonia, and weaver. Some 240 species of birds called the true finches are classified in the family Fringillidae. Other songbirds that are also commonly referred to as finches are classified in the families Emberizidae, Thraupidae, and Estrildidae. Finches are small, compactly built...

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