The Types of Finch Birds

There are hundreds of different species of finches in the world. They are delightful birds to watch and many varieties can be kept as pets. Finches, both pet and wild, can be classified into four different groups of birds. The Fringillidae group contains more than 125 different species, the Ploceidae group is made up of more than 156 species, the Estrildidae group has over 133 different species and the Passeridae group is the smallest group with only 32 species of finches.

  1. Fringillidae

    • Some finches build enclosed nests.

      The Fringillidae family of finches are also called the "true" finches. Many of these species are kept as pets. Some of the more common finches in this group include the house finch, red siskin, canary, Hawaiian finch and the European goldfinch. Most finches in this family nest in trees and shrubs. They have small bills that are cone shaped and the males are usually more colorful than the females. This family of birds can be found across the world, but in the United States you are likely to see them in parking lots just as frequently as you see them in your backyard. All finches in this family are seed eaters.

    Ploceidae

    • The American sparrow is classified as a finch.

      The Ploceidae family is perhaps the largest family of the four. These finches build enclosed nests weaved of grasses and twigs and depending on their habitat, some may use mud. Many species of this family can be found in Africa including the African widow weaver. In the United States, the Eurasian tree sparrow and Orange Weaver are part of the Ploceidae family.

    Estrildidae

    • Many finches can be kept as pets.

      The group of finches in the Estrildidae family come mainly from Asia and Africa. As most of their names suggest, they can be very colorful. Some of the finches from this family include the parrot finch, zebra finch, red-tailed finch, lavender finch and the golden breasted waxbill. This family also likes to build round enclosed nests from grasses and twigs. The zebra finch is a popular pet, as are the grass finch and parrot finch. This family of finches is also known for their singing.

    Passeridae

    • The smallest family of finches, Passeridae, is native to Asia. Brown, tan and black are common colors of many finches in this group. The house sparrow and snow finch belong to this family of stockier birds. This family of birds is considered to be made up of Old World sparrows. The parrot billed sparrow and chestnut sparrow also belong to this family of finches. As with most finches, these birds like open grassy areas and parking lots to socialize in.