|
British Finches
The British finches are made up of several species of finch which were formerly very popular as cage birds in Great Britain. They are not currently commonplace, but are still kept by a few dedicated fanciers. History In Victorian times British finches were hugely popular as cage birds throughout the British Isles, often replacing canaries. Due to a lack of protection, thousands of birds were captured for the pet trade every year. Their popularity is reflected in the well-known British music hall song, "My Old Man (Said Follow the Van)", in the line, "I walked behind wiv me old cock linnet..." referring to the linnet (''Carduelis cannabina''). Regulation British finches are often associated with mules, a term used by cage bird breeders to refer to hybrids of finch species bred in captivity, such as that of a goldfinch and canary. There are now strict ringing regulations on British finches in places such as the UK, but they are still kept by aviculturists who care for them in m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carduelis Carduelis2
The genus ''Carduelis'' is a group of birds in the finch family Fringillidae. The genus ''Carduelis'' was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 by tautonomy based on Carl Linnaeus's specific epithet for the European goldfinch ''Fringilla carduelis''. The name ''carduelis'' is the Latin word for the European goldfinch. Many bird species were at one time assigned to the genus, but it became clear from phylogenetic studies of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences that the genus was polyphyletic. The polyphyletic nature of the genus was confirmed by Dario Zuccon and coworkers in a comprehensive study of the finch family published in 2012. The authors suggested splitting the genus into several monophyletic clades, a proposal that was accepted by the International Ornithologists' Union. The siskins and goldfinches from the Americas formed a distinct clade and were moved to the resurrected genus '' Spinus'', the greenfinches were moved to the genus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Redpoll
The redpolls (genus ''Acanthis'') (in Great Britain also historically known as redpoles) are a group of small passerine birds in the finch family Fringillidae, which have characteristic red markings on their heads. They are placed in the genus ''Acanthis''. The genus name ''Acanthis'' is from the Ancient Greek ''akanthis'', a name for a small now-unidentifiable bird. All redpolls are northern breeding woodland species, associated with birch trees (although there are introduced populations in the southern hemisphere, in New Zealand and nearby subantarctic islands). They are small birds, brown or grey-brown above and with a red forehead patch. The adult male's breast is washed in red, but in females and young birds the buff breast and white belly are streaked with brown. The bill is small and yellow. Some birds, particularly young ones, are difficult to assign to species. They are primarily seed-eaters, and often feed acrobatically like a tit; their diet may include some insect ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurasian Bullfinch
The Eurasian bullfinch, common bullfinch or bullfinch (''Pyrrhula pyrrhula'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family, Fringillidae. In Anglophone Europe it is known simply as the bullfinch, as it is the original bird to bear the name bullfinch. Taxonomy and systematics The Eurasian bullfinch was formally described in 1758 by Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name ''Loxia pyrrhula''. It is now placed in the genus ''Pyrrhula'' that was introduced in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. The Latin word ''pyrrhula'' comes from the Greek ''πυρρός'' (a flame-coloured bird, from πυρρός flame coloured, from ''πυρ'' fire : Pyrrha), a 'worm eating bird' that is mentioned by Aristotle. The Latin name ''pyrrhula'' for the Eurasian bullfinch had been used in 1555 by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gesner in his '' Historiae animalium''. Subspecies Ten subspecies are recognised: * ''P. p. pileata'' MacGillivray, W, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bullfinch
Bullfinch is a name given to two groups of passerine birds. True bullfinches The true bullfinches are thick-billed finches in the passerine family Fringillidae. They comprise the genus ''Pyrrhula''. These birds are restricted to the Old World, and they include the following: * Eurasian bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula pyrrhula'' * Brown bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula nipalensis'' * White-cheeked bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula leucogenis'' * Orange bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula aurantiaca'' * Red-headed bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula erythrocephala'' * Grey-headed bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula erythaca'' * Azores bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula murina'' New World tanagers There is an unrelated group of New World birds also named as bullfinches because of their superficial resemblances to the above species. These passerines were placed in the large bunting and American "sparrow" family Emberizidae, but are now considered tanagers (Thraupidae). Four are in the genus ''Loxigilla'': * Puerto Rican bullfinch, ''Loxigilla portoricensis'' * Greater ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pyrrhula
Pyrrhula is a small genus of passerine birds, commonly called bullfinches, belonging to the finch family (Fringillidae). The genus has a Palearctic distribution; almost all species occur in Asia, with two species exclusively in the Himalayas and one species, ''P. pyrrhula'', also occurring in Europe. The Azores bullfinch (''P. murina'') is a critically endangered species (about 120 pairs remaining), occurring only in the east of the island of São Miguel in the Azores archipelago. Analysis of the mtDNA cytochrome ''b'' sequence indicates that the Holarctic pine grosbeak (''Pinicola enucleator'') is the closest living relative of this genus. Arguably, it could be included in ''Pyrrhula'', but more probably is a distinct offshoot of a common ancestor, with the pine grosbeak as the sister group to the ancestor of the bullfinches. The evolution of the bullfinch species started soon after the pine grosbeak's ancestors diverged from them (at the end of the Middle Miocene, about 12 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scottish Crossbill
The Scottish crossbill (''Loxia scotica'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is endemic to the Caledonian Forests of Scotland, and is the only terrestrial vertebrate species endemic to the United Kingdom. The Scottish crossbill was confirmed as a unique species in August 2006, on the basis of having a distinctive bird song. The genus name ''Loxia'' is from Ancient Greek ''loxos'', 'crosswise', and ''scotica'' is Latin for 'Scottish'. The Scottish Gaelic name for a crossbill is ''Cam-ghob'', which means 'crooked beak'.' History and current status The British Ornithologists Union first classed the Scottish crossbill as a separate and distinct species in 1980, but some ornithologists believed there was insufficient scientific research for its status. It was considered to be possibly a race of either the red crossbill or the parrot crossbill, both of which also occur in the Caledonian Forest. RSPB research showed that Scottish crossbills have quite ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Crossbill
The red crossbill or common crossbill (''Loxia curvirostra'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other fruits. Adults are often brightly coloured, with red or orange males and green or yellow females, but there is wide variation in beak size and shape, and call types, leading to different classifications of variants, some of which have been named as subspecies. The species is known as "red crossbill" in North America and "common crossbill" in Europe. Description Crossbills are characterized by the mandibles crossing at their tips, which gives the group its English name. Using their crossed mandibles for leverage, crossbills are able to efficiently separate the scales of conifer cones and extract the seeds on which they feed. Adult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation. Identif ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crossbills
The crossbill is a genus, ''Loxia'', of birds in the finch family (Fringillidae), with six species. These birds are characterised by the mandibles with crossed tips, which gives the group its English name. Adult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation. Crossbills are specialist feeders on conifer cones, and the unusual bill shape is an adaptation which enables them to extract seeds from cones. These birds are typically found in higher northern hemisphere latitudes, where their food sources grow. They irrupt out of the breeding range when the cone crop fails. Crossbills breed very early in the year, often in winter months, to take advantage of maximum cone supplies. Systematics and evolution The genus ''Loxia'' was introduced by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. The name is from the Ancient Greek , "crosswise". The Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner had used the word ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loxia
The crossbill is a genus, ''Loxia'', of birds in the finch family (Fringillidae), with six species. These birds are characterised by the mandibles with crossed tips, which gives the group its English name. Adult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation. Crossbills are specialist feeders on conifer cones, and the unusual bill shape is an adaptation which enables them to extract seeds from cones. These birds are typically found in higher northern hemisphere latitudes, where their food sources grow. They irrupt out of the breeding range when the cone crop fails. Crossbills breed very early in the year, often in winter months, to take advantage of maximum cone supplies. Systematics and evolution The genus ''Loxia'' was introduced by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. The name is from the Ancient Greek , "crosswise". The Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner had used the wor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linnet
The common linnet (''Linaria cannabina'') is a small passerine bird of the finch family, Fringillidae. It derives its common name and the scientific name, ''Linaria'', from its fondness for hemp seeds and flax seeds—flax being the English name of the plant from which linen is made. Taxonomy In 1758, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus included the common linnet in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae'' under the binomial name, ''Acanthis cannabina''. The species was formerly placed in the genus ''Carduelis'' but based on the results of a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences published in 2012, it was moved to the genus ''Linaria'' that had been introduced by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1802. The genus name ''linaria'' is the Latin for a linen-weaver, from ''linum'', "flax". The species name ''cannabina'' comes from the Latin for hemp. The English name has a similar root, being derived from Old French ''linette'', fro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Twite
The twite (''Linaria flavirostris'') is a small brown passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is similar in size and shape to a linnet, at long. It lacks the red head patch and breast shown by the linnet and the redpolls. It is brown streaked with black above, and a pink rump. The underparts are buff to whitish, streaked with brown. The conical bill is yellow in winter and grey in summer. The call is a distinctive ''twit'', from which its name derives, and the song contains fast trills and twitters. Twites can form large flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with other finches on coasts and salt marshes. They feed mainly on seeds. The twite breeds in northern Europe and across the Palearctic to Siberia and China. Treeless moorland is favoured for breeding. It builds its nest in a bush, laying 5–6 light blue eggs. It is partially resident, but many birds migrate further south, or move to the coasts. It has declined sharply in parts of its range ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurasian Siskin
The Eurasian siskin (''Spinus spinus'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include ''black-headed goldfinch'', ''barley bird'' and ''aberdevine''. It is very common throughout Europe and Eurosiberia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers. It can be distinguished from other similar finches by the colour of the plumage. The upper parts are greyish green and the under parts grey-streaked white. Its wings are black with a conspicuous yellow wing bar, and the tail is black with yellow sides. The male has a mainly yellow face and breast, with a neat black cap. Female and young birds have a greyish green head and no cap. It is a trusting, sociable and active bird. The song of this bird is a pleasant mix of twitters and trills. For these reasons it is often raised in captivit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
_(13667553233).jpg "Click for more on -> Redpoll")
