Finch, a name applied to many Passerine birds included in the family Fringillidae, but generally used with some affix, as in the familiar names bullfinch, chaffinch, and goldfinch. A finch is usually small, has a hard conical beak, and generally lives upon seeds. The distribution is almost world-wide, excepting Australia; but the majority inhabit the palaearctic region. The Buntings (Emberizidae) and the Weaver-finches (Ploceidae) of the Ethiopian and Australian regions are usually kept distinct. The limits of the family Fringillidae are vague; among the more familiar members are the
Chaffinch (Fringilla cæcbs), the Brambling (F. montifringilla), the Canary (Serinus), the Crossbills (Loxia), the Linnets (Linota), and the Sparrows (Passer).