What is a “True” Finch?
True finches, of the family Fringillidae, are small seed eating songbirds with about 240 species divided into 50 genera.
Siskins, redpolls, serins, canaries, euphonias, and grosbeaks are all part of the true finches.
Other birds that are often referred to as finches, but are actually from different families, include estrildid finches (Estrildiae), the old world bunting family Emberizidae, the new world sparrow family Passerellidae, and Darwin’’s finches, which are now classified as being members of the tanager family Thraupidae.
Finches are chatty, gregarious birds, often traveling together in medium to large flocks.
There’s something distinctly cheerful about the little chirps that finches make as they crush seeds.
What is a Group of Finches Called?
A group of finches is called a charm of finches, which seems appropriate given how likable these little birds are.
But, the reason a group of finches is referred to as a charm is probably due to their likability.
Historically, the collective noun for finches dates back to the 15th century, and The Book of St Albans, which used cherme to denote a group of finches.
While cherme sounds like “charm,” it may actually be a variant of the Old English word cirm, which may be a variation of the modern, but uncommon, word chirm.
According to Collins Dictionary, chirm is a noun that means “the chirping of birds.”
It’s possible that our 15th century friends meant to bestow a name related to the cheerful vocals of finches, but today, charm and not chirm is the proper way to refer to a group of finches.
Interestingly, a charm of finches may have specifically referred to goldfinches, and then expanded to include any group of finches.
Two other collective nouns are reserved for goldfinches in particular.
One is trimming, and the other is trembling.
So, if you see a group of goldfinches in your yard, you could say that you saw a charm of goldfinches, a trimming of goldfinches, or a trembling of goldfinches, the choice is yours.
Smallest and Largest Finches
The Andean siskin (Spinus spinescens) takes the prize for being the smallest true finch, measuring about 3.8 inches (9.5 cm).
The largest true finch is likely a grosbeak, with some individuals measuring almost 10 inches (25.5 cm) in length, and weighing a little over 3 ounces.
How to Attract Finches to Your Yard
Having a tube, mesh, or sock feeder is an excellent way to attract a variety of finch species to your yard.
Finches will eat almost any type of small seed, but they especially love thistle (nyjer) and sunflower seeds.
Where I live, house finches and goldfinches are the most common visitors.
Planting their favorite flowers is also a great way to attract finches to your yard.
Best Plants for Attracting Finches:
1. Sunflowers
2. Zinnias
3. Milkweed
4. Dandelions
5. Echinacea or Coneflowers
Finches also love taking baths, so setting up a birdbath in your yard is an excellent way to attract these charming birds.
Conclusion
I hope you learned something new about finches from this article.
Check out my article on interesting facts about birds if you love learning about these amazing animals.
Or, read my piece on getting started with bird photography.
Sources
https://www.britannica.com/animal/finch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finch
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/chirm