Finch is often used worldwide for birds of similar morphology and habit. Some would insist however, that it should only be applied to species in the family Fringillidae, aka 'true finches'. Oh, I sure can hear that admonition being pronounced in a stern matronly voice accompanied by a loud slap.

As an ecologist I find it especially sad that 'Darwin's Finches' are not supposed to be called finches under this pedantism. For taxonomy and systematics, we have rigorous scientific nomenclature (aka 'latin' or scientific names) used worldwide to define species and families etc. Colloquial or common names should be left as just that, for local usage.


Chaffinch

Goldfinch

Siskin

Crossbill

There is a pachyderm in the room here isn't there? It's the common name for this group. Most bird sites consider themselves way too aloof to even allude to it, seemingly hoping it will all go away. But me? Well, you know me, I got a thick skin. So, once and for all, 'tits', in this case, has no connection at all with err, umm, well, how do I put this, ladies' chests. The root in fact is somewhat different.

The older English name for this group was Titmice (titmouse singular) a compound name derived from 'tit' meaning small and 'Mâse a name for several small birds. The latter akin to the French Mésange and the German Meise so it was shared across much of Europe. In the UK Titmouse was the name used up to the 20th century

In fact, the name Titmouse is still used pretty much across the English speaking world for similar birds, the name no doubt taken from England by early colonists, and it remains unaltered. Why we lost the 'mouse' off the end I can't seem to find out.

Right now, we've got that off our chests, we can look at a few of these active and attractive little birds.

Great tit

Blue tit

Long-tailed tit

Coal tit

Mainly insectivorous, but most also like fruit and many species can be seen systematically clearing bushes and trees in autumn. This makes them an import vector of seed for inumerable plants, especially longer-range dispersal during migration. The relationship of some thrushes to mistletoe in particularly is worth looking up.

Mistle Thrush

Song Thrush

Blackbird

Not a taxonomic grouping at all here, a hotchpotch of species, although most fall into the super-family Sylvioidea, a lot of birds do! We got a chat, we got a warbler, we got a waggie wagtail and, everyone's favourite, a robin, amongst some others. Oh, and a swallow or two feeding demanding children.

Where they are unified is in diet, all are predominantly insectivorous, ie. eat insects, a lot of birds do! Robin doesn't turn down the odd seed or even breadcrumbs tho', and who begrudges him that?

Spotted Flycatcher

Willow warbler

Pied Wagtail

Swallow

Dunnock

Robin

Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

Wheatear

Waxwing