Kids Facts About Finch Birds
Finches are a type of passerine bird. Their diets usually consist of seeds. Most finches are native to the Southern Hemisphere, though a few species are found in the Northern regions of Asia, Europe and Africa. Finches are widely known as the basis of Charles Darwin's study on natural selection.
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Characterizations
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Finches of all species are mostly characterized by beaks. They usually have strong, stubby beaks, though they can differ in size from one species to the species. They range in size from 9.3 cm to 23 cm. Their plumage can be brown, green, yellow, red, black and white. As flight birds, their pattern of flying usually involves what is known as bounding flight. They fly by alternating between flapping their wings to gain height and then gliding downward.
Diet
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The diet of the finch is varied and usually depends on its environment. All finches have sharp bills that are designed to crack nuts for seeds. Most finches depend on seeds as a main source of nutrition. However, during harsh seasons when seeds are not available, finches will switch their diet to small insects, berries and even nectar.
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Environment
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Finches can live in almost every climate in the world. They are indigenous to every continent except Australia. Goldfinches, so named for their yellow markings, can be found in North America and Western Europe. The house finch, popular for its chirpy singing, lives along the eastern states of America. Some finches choose one environment and stay their entire lives, while other finch species are nomads, meaning they travel around in small groups, continuously looking for food.
Darwin's Finches
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In the mid-1800s, finches became the target of several scientific studies started by Charles Darwin. During a survey voyage to the Galapagos Islands, Darwin observed the different species of the finch that lived on the island. He noticed that the diet of finches with long, sharp beaks differed from the diet of finches with short, broad beaks. The finches with the sharp beaks were prone to eat insects by sticking their beaks into crevices to extract the insect. The finches with broad beaks would rely more on berries and nuts for food. This helped Darwin create an evolution theory that would later be called natural selection.
Pets
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Most species of the finch make great pets. They are easy to maintain and are usually mild mannered. Finches are natural song birds, making them a lively addition to your home. Unlike other pet birds, like the Parrot, finches are very independent and do not require daily attention. Two especially popular pet species of the finch are the domesticated canary and the zebra finch. When well cared for, captivated finches can live between 10 and 15 years.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit purple finch image by Ronnie Howard from Fotolia.com
