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Fringillidae – Finches, Seedeaters, Euphonias & Allies

Orange-bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster ©Trevor Hardaker Website

The true finches are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. Finches have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where they are usually resident and do not migrate. They have a worldwide distribution except for Australia and the polar regions.

The smallest classical true finches are the Andean Siskin (Spinus spinescens) at as little as 9.5cm and the Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) at as little as 8gm. The largest species is probably the Collared Grosbeak (Mycerobas affinis) at up to 24cm and 83 gm, although larger lengths, to 25.5 cm in the Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator), and weights, to 86.1gm in the Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertinus), have been recorded in species which are slightly smaller on average. They typically have strong, stubby beaks, which in some species can be quite large; however, Hawaiian honeycreepers are famous for the wide range of bill shapes and sizes brought about by adaptive radiation. All true finches have 9 primary remiges and 12 rectrices. The basic plumage colour is brownish, sometimes greenish; many have considerable amounts of black, while white plumage is generally absent except as wing-bars or other signalling marks. Bright yellow and red carotenoid pigments are commonplace in this family, and thus blue structural colours are rather rare, as the yellow pigments turn the blue colour into green. Many, but by no means all true finches have strong sexual dichromatism, the females typically lacking the bright carotenoid markings of males.

Finches are typically inhabitants of well-wooded areas, but some can be found on mountains or even, like Trumpeter Finches, in deserts. They are primarily granivorous, but euphoniines include considerable amounts of arthropods and berries in their diet, and Hawaiian honeycreepers evolved to utilise a wide range of food sources, including nectar. The diet of Fringillidae nestlings includes a varying amount of small arthropods. True finches have a bouncing flight like most small passerines, alternating bouts of flapping with gliding on closed wings. Most sing well and several are commonly seen cagebirds; foremost among these is the domesticated canary (Serinus canaria domestica). The nests are basket-shaped and usually built in trees, more rarely in bushes, between rocks or on similar substrate

Many birds in other families are also commonly called finches, including some species in the very similar-looking waxbills or estrildid finches (family Estrildidae) of the Old World tropics and Australia; several groups of the bunting and American sparrow family (Emberizidae); and the Darwin’s finches of the Galapagos islands, now considered members of the tanager family (Thraupidae).

The scientific name Fringillidae, comes from the Latin word fringilla for the common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), a member of the family which is common in Europe. The name was coined by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in 1820. The Fringillidae family is divided into three subfamilies, the Fringillinae containing a single genus with the chaffinches, the Carduelinae containing 183 species divided into 49 genera, and the Euphoniinae containing the Euphonias and the Chlorophonias.

Species List

Since DNA sequencing has revealed relationships, there are, according the IOC, 209 extant Fringillidae, they are:

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
Tenerife Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea
Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch Fringilla polatzeki
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

Black-and-yellow Grosbeak Mycerobas icterioides
Collared Grosbeak Mycerobas affinis
Spot-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas melanozanthos
White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes

Evening Grosbeak Hesperiphona vespertina
Hooded Grosbeak Hesperiphona abeillei

Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Chinese Grosbeak Eophona migratoria
Japanese Grosbeak Eophona personata

Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator

Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhula nipalensis
Orange Bullfinch Pyrrhula aurantiaca
Red-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythrocephala
Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca
White-cheeked Bullfinch Pyrrhula leucogenis
Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina

Asian Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguineus
African Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys alienus

Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus
Mongolian Finch Bucanetes mongolicus

Blanford’s Rosefinch Agraphospiza rubescens

Spectacled Finch Callacanthis burtoni

Golden-naped Finch Pyrrhoplectes epauletta

Dark-breasted Rosefinch Procarduelis nipalensis

Plain Mountain Finch Leucosticte nemoricola
Brandt’s Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti
Asian Rosy Finch Leucosticte arctoa
Grey-crowned Rosy Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis
Black Rosy Finch Leucosticte atrata
Brown-capped Rosy Finch Leucosticte australis

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Scarlet Finch Carpodacus sipahi
Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides
Great Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilla
Blyth’s Rosefinch Carpodacus grandis
Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys
Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus pulcherrimus
Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus davidianus
Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus waltoni
Pink-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus rodochroa
Dark-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus edwardsii
Spot-winged Rosefinch Carpodacus rodopeplus
Sharpe’s Rosefinch Carpodacus verreauxii
Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus
Taiwan Rosefinch Carpodacus formosanus
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus
Pale Rosefinch Carpodacus stoliczkae
Tibetan Rosefinch Carpodacus roborowskii
Sillem’s Mountain Finch Carpodacus sillemi
Long-tailed Rosefinch Carpodacus sibiricus
Pallas’s Rosefinch Carpodacus roseus
Three-banded Rosefinch Carpodacus trifasciatus
Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus thura
Chinese White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus dubius
Red-fronted Rosefinch Carpodacus puniceus
Crimson-browed Finch Carpodacus subhimachalus

Oahu Alauahio Paroreomyza maculata
Maui Alauahio Paroreomyza montana

Akikiki Oreomystis bairdi

Laysan Finch Telespiza cantans
Nihoa Finch Telespiza ultima

Palila Loxioides bailleui

Iiwi Drepanis coccinea

Akohekohe Palmeria dolei

Apapane Himatione sanguinea

Kauai Nukupuu Hemignathus hanapepe
Maui Nukupuu Hemignathus affinis
Akiapolaau Hemignathus wilsoni

Maui Parrotbill Pseudonestor xanthophrys

Anianiau Magumma parva

Hawaii Creeper Loxops mana
Akekee Loxops caeruleirostris
Hawaii Akepa Loxops coccineus
Maui Akepa Loxops ochraceus

Hawaii Amakihi Chlorodrepanis virens
Oahu Amakihi Chlorodrepanis flava
Kauai Amakihi Chlorodrepanis stejnegeri

Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus
Cassin’s Finch Haemorhous cassinii
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus

European Greenfinch Chloris chloris
Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica
Yellow-breasted Greenfinch Chloris spinoides
Vietnamese Greenfinch Chloris monguilloti
Black-headed Greenfinch Chloris ambigua

Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta

Socotra Golden-winged Grosbeak Rhynchostruthus socotranus
Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak Rhynchostruthus percivali
Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak Rhynchostruthus louisae

Oriole Finch Linurgus olivaceus

Principe Seedeater Crithagra rufobrunnea
Sao Tome Grosbeak Crithagra concolor
African Citril Crithagra citrinelloides
Western Citril Crithagra frontalis
Southern Citril Crithagra hyposticta
Black-faced Canary Crithagra capistrata
Papyrus Canary Crithagra koliensis
Forest Canary Crithagra scotops
White-rumped Seedeater Crithagra leucopygia
Black-throated Canary Crithagra atrogularis
Yellow-rumped Seedeater Crithagra xanthopygia
Reichenow’s Seedeater Crithagra reichenowi
Arabian Serin Crithagra rothschildi
Yellow-throated Seedeater Crithagra flavigula
Salvadori’s Seedeater Crithagra xantholaema
Lemon-breasted Canary Crithagra citrinipectus
Yellow-fronted Canary Crithagra mozambica
White-bellied Canary Crithagra dorsostriata
Ankober Serin Crithagra ankoberensis
Yemen Serin Crithagra menachensis
Cape Siskin Crithagra totta
Drakensberg Siskin Crithagra symonsi
Northern Grosbeak-Canary Crithagra donaldsoni
Southern Grosbeak-Canary Crithagra buchanani
Yellow Canary Crithagra flaviventris
Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphurata
Reichard’s Seedeater Crithagra reichardi
Streaky-headed Seedeater Crithagra gularis
West African Seedeater Crithagra canicapilla
Black-eared Seedeater Crithagra mennelli
Brown-rumped Seedeater Crithagra tristriata
White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis
Thick-billed Seedeater Crithagra burtoni
Streaky Seedeater Crithagra striolata
Yellow-browed Seedeater Crithagra whytii
Kipengere Seedeater Crithagra melanochroa
Protea Canary Crithagra leucoptera

Twite Linaria flavirostris
Common Linnet Linaria cannabina
Yemen Linnet Linaria yemenensis
Warsangli Linnet Linaria johannis

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea
Lesser Redpoll Acanthis cabaret
Arctic Redpoll Acanthis hornemanni

Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus
Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Cassia Crossbill Loxia sinesciuris
Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Hispaniolan Crossbill Loxia megaplaga

Mountain Serin Chrysocorythus estherae

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella
Corsican Finch Carduelis corsicana

Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus
European Serin Serinus serinus
Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus
Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria
Cape Canary Serinus canicollis
Yellow-crowned Canary Serinus flavivertex
Ethiopian Siskin Serinus nigriceps
Black-headed Canary Serinus alario

Tibetan Serin Spinus thibetanus
Lawrence’s Goldfinch Spinus lawrencei
American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria
Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus
Antillean Siskin Spinus dominicensis
Pine Siskin Spinus pinus
Black-capped Siskin Spinus atriceps
Black-headed Siskin Spinus notatus
Black-chinned Siskin Spinus barbatus
Yellow-bellied Siskin Spinus xanthogastrus
Olivaceous Siskin Spinus olivaceus
Hooded Siskin Spinus magellanicus
Saffron Siskin Spinus siemiradzkii
Yellow-faced Siskin Spinus yarrellii
Red Siskin Spinus cucullatus
Black Siskin Spinus atratus
Yellow-rumped Siskin Spinus uropygialis
Thick-billed Siskin Spinus crassirostris
Andean Siskin Spinus spinescens

Jamaican Euphonia Euphonia jamaica
Plumbeous Euphonia Euphonia plumbea
Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis
Yellow-crowned Euphonia Euphonia luteicapilla
Purple-throated Euphonia Euphonia chlorotica
Trinidad Euphonia Euphonia trinitatis
Velvet-fronted Euphonia Euphonia concinna
Orange-crowned Euphonia Euphonia saturata
Finsch’s Euphonia Euphonia finschi
Violaceous Euphonia Euphonia violacea
Thick-billed Euphonia Euphonia laniirostris
Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea
Green-chinned Euphonia Euphonia chalybea
Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima
Golden-rumped Euphonia Euphonia cyanocephala
Antillean Euphonia Euphonia musica
Fulvous-vented Euphonia Euphonia fulvicrissa
Spot-crowned Euphonia Euphonia imitans
Olive-backed Euphonia Euphonia gouldi
White-lored Euphonia Euphonia chrysopasta
Bronze-green Euphonia Euphonia mesochrysa
White-vented Euphonia Euphonia minuta
Tawny-capped Euphonia Euphonia anneae
Orange-bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster
Rufous-bellied Euphonia Euphonia rufiventris
Chestnut-bellied Euphonia Euphonia pectoralis
Golden-sided Euphonia Euphonia cayennensis

Yellow-collared Chlorophonia Chlorophonia flavirostris
Blue-naped Chlorophonia Chlorophonia cyanea
Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia Chlorophonia pyrrhophrys
Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis
Golden-browed Chlorophonia Chlorophonia callophrys

Species Links

African Citril Serinus citrinelloides
Species Account
Southern African demographyThe Citril Finch (Carduelis citrinella) is a small songbird, a member of the true finch family Fringillidae. For a long time, this cardueline finch was placed in the genus Serinus, but it is apparently very closely related to the European Goldfinch…
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
IUCN Species Status
IUCN Species Profile
Black-chinned Siskin Carduelis barbata
Species Account
The black-chinned siskin (Spinus barbatus) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. Found in Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, its natural habitats are temperate forests and heavily degraded former forest.
Black-chinned Siskin Carduelis barbata
Cornell Species Account
The Black-chinned Siskin is the most southerly-distributed of the siskins. It is common in edge habitats, scrub, and towns in central and southern Chile, southern Argentina, and on the Falkland Islands.
Black-headed Siskin Carduelis notata
Species Account
The black-headed siskin (Spinus notatus) is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family. It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.
Black-throated Canary Serinus atrogularis
Species Account
Sound archive and distribution map
Black-throated Canary Serinus atrogularis
Species Account
The black-throated canary (Crithagra atrogularis), also known as the Black-throated seedeater, is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.
Brimstone Canary Serinus sulphuratus
Species Account
The brimstone canary or bully canary, (Crithagra sulphuratus), is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in central and southern Africa.
Cassin's Finch Carpodacus cassinii
Cornell Species Account
Species account with images et al…
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Species Account
Sound archive and distribution map
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Species Account
The common rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) or scarlet rosefinch is the most widespread and common rosefinch of Asia and Europe.
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
RSPB Species Account
Scarlet rosefinches are sparrow sized birds, mottled brown above with a streaked breast, pale belly and forked tail.
Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Species Account
Sound archive and distribution map
Eurasian Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguineus
Species Account
Sound archive and distribution map
Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus
Species Account
Sound archive and distribution map
European Serin Serinus serinus
Species Account
Sound archive and distribution map

Number of Species

Number of bird species: 226

Useful Reading

Ecology and Evolution of Darwin's Finches

| By Peter R Grant | Princeton University Press | 2017 | Edition 2 | 459 pages, 63 plates with b/w photos, 101 b/w illustrations, 24 tables | ISBN: 9780691607979 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Finches & Sparrows

| By Peter Clement, Alan Harris & John Davis | Christopher Helm | 2001 | hardback | 500 pages, 73 colour plates, 50 line drawings, 281 colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9781408135082 Buy this book from NHBS.com
The Hawaiian Honeycreepers

| By H Douglas Pratt [Illustrated by the author] OUP | 2005 | Hardback | 342 pages, 9 colour plates, 130 b/w photos, 20 line illustrations | ISBN: 9780198546535 Buy this book from NHBS.com

Fringillidae – Finches, Seedeaters, Euphonias & Allies

African Citril Serinus citrinelloides

American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis

Black-chinned Siskin Carduelis barbata

Black-chinned Siskin Carduelis barbata

Black-headed Siskin Carduelis notata

Black-throated Canary Serinus atrogularis

Black-throated Canary Serinus atrogularis

Brimstone Canary Serinus sulphuratus

Cassin's Finch Carpodacus cassinii

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Eurasian Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguineus

Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus

European Serin Serinus serinus

Number of bird species: 226

Ecology and Evolution of Darwin's Finches

Finches & Sparrows

The Hawaiian Honeycreepers

American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis

American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis

Asian Rosy-Finch Leucosticte arctoa

Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata

Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata

Black-chinned Siskin Carduelis barbata

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch Leucosticte australis

Bullfinch

Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Cassin's Finch Carpodacus cassinii

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea

Crossbill Natural History

Crossbills

Crossbills

Drakensberg Siskin Serinus symonsi

Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Eurasian Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguineus

Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

European Serin Serinus serinus

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis

Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus

Japanese Grosbeak Eophona personata

Lawrence`s Goldfinch Carduelis lawrencei

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret