| Fringilla | |
|---|---|
| Male Chaffinch | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Infraorder: | Passerida |
| Superfamily: | Passeroidea |
| Family: | Fringillidae |
| Subfamily: | Fringillinae |
| Genus: | Fringilla Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Species | |
The genus Fringilla is a small group of finches from the Old World, which are the only species in the subfamily Fringillinae. The three species are:
The Chaffinch is found primarily in forest habitats, in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia; the Blue Chaffinch is an island endemic; and the Brambling is breeds in the northern taiga and southern tundra of Eurasia.[1]
They are about the same size, 15 centimetres (5.9 in), and are similar in shape.[1] These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings.[2] They are not as specialised as the other finches, eating both insects and seeds. While breeding, they feed their young on insects rather than seeds, unlike the other finches.[1]