Finch

♂ Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

• Finches ( Fringillinae )
• Organist ( Euphoniinae )
• Stieglitz behaved ( Carduelinae )
• Dresses Birds ( Drepanidinae )

The finches ( Fringillidae ) are a species-rich family from the order of perching birds ( Passeriformes ). The Finches ( Estrildidae ) and some species of Buntings ( Emberizidae ), tanagers ( Thraupidae ), Cardinals ( Cardinalidae ), sparrows ( Passeridae ) and weaver birds ( Ploceidae ) are called " finches " means. Some scientists Icterids ( Icteridae ), warblers are in further version of the family ( Parulidae ), buntings, tanagers, cardinals, deceit Warbler ( Peudedramidae ) and Rose cock Bullfinch ( Urocynchramidae ) included in the Fringillidae.

The finch family contains 40 genera, of which 6 died, and about 200 species, of which 14 died.

Appearance

Finches are small to medium sized birds 9-26 cm in length. They have a strong, mostly conical beak, which is very large in the " hawfinches ". Striking the beaks of Crossbills are ( Loxia ), whose tips are crossed. All species have 12 tail feathers and 9 flight feathers. The tail is usually notched.

The coloring of the plumage varies greatly within the family. They range from inconspicuously gray, greenish or brownish birds to species with striking yellow, red or blue plumage games, such as in Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula ) Iiwi ( Vestiaria coccinea) or the types of tropical sub-family of organists ( Euphoniinae ). In many species, the males are conspicuously colored than the females. For some, the winter dress is plainer than the breeding plumage, or the beak is bright in winter, such as the Hawfinch ( Coccothraustes coccothraustes ).

Dissemination

Finches are common natural occurrence almost worldwide. You are missing only in Antarctica, on numerous small ocean islands and in Madagascar, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. The greatest diversity occurs with 18 genera and about 70 species in Asia. In Europe, however, there are only 20 species from 8 genera. Africa has about 50 species and 35 species with the development of the center of the European Serins ( Serinus ). In North and South America together account for about 60 species from 8 genera are endemic. The organist ( Euphoniinae ) occur exclusively here and siskins ( Carduelis) are particularly well represented with 19 species. In the Hawaiian Islands, the subfamily of clothes Birds ( Drepanidinae ) has diversified very rich with original 34 species. Some species of the family were naturalized beyond their original area beyond, such as in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii.

Habitat

The Finches inhabit a variety of forest types, such as coniferous forests, deciduous forests in temperate zones or tropical mountain rain forests, and forest edges and clearings. Types of Organists ( Euphoniinae ) also occur in lowland rain forests. Many species prefer an open landscape with trees and bushes, as in the cultural landscape, such as parks and gardens, occurs. In the tropics and savannas as well as grass and scrub are populated. Border areas of occurrence of finches are rocky desert terrain, shrub -lined tundra and tropical papyrus swamps. Some species, such as the Rosy Finch ( Leucosticte ), colonize rocky slopes and grasslands above the treeline. In the Andes, the Schwarzzeisig (Carduelis atrata ) reached an altitude of 4500 m, in the Himalayas of Matt Rosy Finch ( Leucosticte brandti ) even 5400 m.

Diet and lifestyle

Finches feed primarily on seeds, fruits and buds. The grosbeak crack with his big beak on even cherry pits. The Crossbills are specialized by the shape of its beak on it to bring seeds from the cones of conifers. In the breeding season also insects, spiders, and even earthworms are captured and fed mainly on the young birds of some species.

Most species are non-migratory birds or they leave in the winter, only the northernmost parts of its breeding habitat, only a few species migrate away from their entire breeding area. Among the finches is the Brambling of the bird with the most pronounced migratory behavior. He leaves his breeding area, which covers the northern forest zone from Norway to Kamchatka, completely.

Outside the breeding season include many ways to large groups. So led two mast years of beech trees in the winters of 1946/47 and 1951/52, to the fact that vast numbers of Brambling in Switzerland collected. It is estimated that due to the then low beech mast up to 100 million bramblings in Switzerland concentrated.

The flight is usually hopping, with some species also wavy. Average finches are two to three years old; in some species, however, can in individual cases, especially in captivity, an age of above 15 years can be achieved.

Voice

The males wear in the breeding season before their serving for area demarcation singing. They are mostly located on trees, they rarely cause a short courtship from. Among the finches there are very good singers, such as the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) or the Kanarengirlitz ( Serinus canaria ), but also species with a monotonous song, such as the mountain finch (Fringilla montifringilla ). The name of the bird is "fink " derived from the sound of his reputation.

Reproduction

The cup-shaped nests are mainly built by the female, mostly on trees or shrubs. The female generally lays 3-5 eggs and incubates them for about two weeks. The chicks are fed by both parents. The Goldfinch -like ( subfamily Carduelinae ) feed the young birds from the crop, mainly of seeds and fruits. In contrast, the finches ( Fringillinae ) carry the food in its beak and feed almost exclusively animal food. The young birds leave the nest after about 11-28 days. In most cases there will be two broods in the year, with tropical species even more.

Endangering

All previously extinct species once lived only on a single small island, 13 of them on each of the Hawaiian Islands, one on the to Japan belonging Bonin Islands, respectively. As before, 11 more of the more than living in Hawaii clothes Birds ( Drepanidinae ) are threatened with extinction, the rest are almost all also at risk in the longer term.

Threatened Stark is also the Einfarbgimpel ( Neospiza concolor) from the small island of São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea. The species was rediscovered only in 1991, after long thought to be extinct; the current population is estimated at less than 50 individuals. Threatened with extinction are also supported by the domiciled on the island of Hispaniola Kreuzschnabelart Loxia megaplaga, the Azores Bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina ), who lives in the north of Venezuela Kapuzenzeisig (Carduelis cucullata ), the Somalihänfling (Carduelis locust ) and the Ankobergirlitz ( Serinus ankoberensis ) from Ethiopia. Three other species of goldfinch -like ( Carduelinae ) are considered at risk.

The most important sources of risk are often on the small distribution area of the species concerned and the consequent small populations, with the result that both the destruction of their habitat - through direct human intervention or indirectly through foreign plant and animal species - as well as the introduction of animals such as feral cats and rats that either prey on the birds themselves or plunder their nests, have the biggest impact. In the case of Hawaiian dresses Birds ( Drepanidinae ) additionally play yet introduced diseases, namely avian pox and avian malaria, an important role. Most species occur only at higher elevations - above 1250 to 1500 m above sea level - in sufficient population densities before, because at these altitudes the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus is rare that transmits malaria. A particular problem with it is the survival of the dresses birds on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Lanai, which do not reach this height or only slightly protrude. For the threat of Kapuzenzeisigs (Carduelis cucullata ) is primarily responsible of illegal fishing and trade. Also had the extinction of Mamo ( Drepanis pacifica ) from the hunting of Hawaii by the Polynesian natives of some importance. His yellow feathers of the under tail-coverts and the rump were used in large numbers for ceremonial garments, such as spring coats. Hence the name " clothes Birds" comes for the subfamily. The occurring in Central Europe finches are all at risk at most regional. On the Red Lists, about the Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) found in Great Britain or of the Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus ) with its westernmost breeding population in Austria and Switzerland.

Genera and species

Subfamily finches ( Fringillinae )

• Finches (Fringilla ) Chaffinch (F. coelebs) Madeira chaffinch (F. coelebs maderensis )

Subfamily organist ( Euphoniinae )

• Organists ( Euphonia ) - 27 species
• Green organist ( Chlorophonia ) - 5 types Gold Brau organist (C. Callophrys )
• Green organist (C. cyanea )
• Collar organist (C. flavirostris )
• Blaukronorganist (C. occipitalis )
• Black-browed organist (C. pyrrhophrys )

Subfamily Stieglitz behaved ( Carduelinae )

• European Serins ( Serinus ) - about 40 kinds, such as: European Serin (p. serinus )
• Alariogirlitz (p. Alario )

• Einfarbgimpel ( N. concolor)

• Oriole Finch (L. olivaceus )

• Goldfinch (C. carduelis )
• Linnet (C. cannabina), also called Linnet
• Greenfinch (C. chloris )
• Kapuzenzeisig (C. cucullata )
• Redpoll (C. flammea )
• Siskin (C. spinus )
• Yarrellzeisig (C. yarrellii )

• Burton Gimpel (C. burtoni )

• Rotflügelgimpel (R. sanguinea )
• Desert Finch (R. githaginea )
• Mongols Gimpel (R. mongolica )
• White-winged Grosbeak ( R. obsoleta )

• Meis Gimpel (U. sibiricus )

• Rosefinch (C. erythrinus )

• Grosbeak ( P. enucleator )
• Rhododendron Bullfinch ( P. subhimachalus )

• Scarlet Bullfinch (H. sipahi )

• Crossbill ( Loxia curvirostra )

• † Bonin Grosbeak (C. ferreorostris )

• Gimpel (type) (Pyrrhula pyrrhula )
• Azores Bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina )

• Grosbeak (C. coccothraustes )
• Evening Grosbeak (C. vespertinus )

• Yellow- Grosbeak (E. migratoria )
• Mask Grosbeak (E. personata )

• Gold Grosbeak (M. icterioides )
• Yellowlegs Grosbeak (M. affinis )
• Spot Grosbeak (M. melanozanthos )
• Juniper Grosbeak (M. carnipes )

• Abeillekernbeißer (H. abeillei )

• Mohr Bullfinch ( P. epauletta )

Subfamily clothes Birds ( Drepanidinae )

• ( Telespiza ) Laysangimpel ( T. cantans )
• Nihoagimpel ( T. ultima )

• Ou ( P. psittacea )

• † Akiapolaau (D. munroi )

• Palila (L. bailleui )

• † Small Koafink (R. flaviceps )
• † Large Koafink (R. palmeri )

• † Kona Finch (C. kona )

• Parrot beak Bullfinch ( P. xanthophrys )

• Akikiki (O. bairdi )
• Hawaii Astläufer (O. mana )

• Maui Astläufer ( P. montana)
• † Kakawahie ( P. flammea )
• Oahu Astläufer ( P. maculata )

• Akekee (L. caeruleirostris )
• Akepa (L. coccineus )

• † Ula -ai - Hawane (C. anna )

• Iiwi ( V. coccinea)

• † Mamo (D. pacifica )
• † Black Mamo (D. funerea )

• Akohekohe ( P. dolei )

• Apapane (H. sanguinea )

• White-cheeked dresses bird (M. phaeosoma )

See also: Darwin's finches, snow finches