Finches and My Blog

ShadowFinch
Jun 18, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Oct 4, 2022

Hi Everyone!

So, if you read my about page you will hopefully know this by now, but if you don’t, I’m Shadow Finch. This is a pseudonym that I chose, because I am introverted and socially awkward so I’d prefer to not use my real name so people can’t look me up and track me down. Shadows are an interesting thing to me and I tend to like to include them into things where possible, thus Shadow became the first name. Honestly, if I was willing to put in the time and energy along with putting up with my family’s nonsense about it and the grief, I’d likely get in just daily life I would probably change my name to Shadow, but I’m not so I don’t and therefore it works here. Finch was honestly a last-minute addition to give me a last name, and was just the one that resonated the most with me as I scrolled through possible last names to use as it flowed well enough and helped create an overall image, I could work into art for the blog specifically. Before starting this blog, I knew finches were a bird but not much beyond that.

As a result of starting this blog, I am learning more about finches and finding they are great, and some of their traits are similar to traits I have in some ways, so I decided to have one of my first posts to be discussing interesting things about finches and showing pictures of some beautiful and interesting ones. I am in no way a finch expert, but figured this would be a good way to pay homage to the birds that are the origin of the last name I chose. So, without further ado:

Interesting Finch Facts by Shadow Finch:

Finches are very social but also relatively quiet
1. I love this because it reminds me that I can be social in the right conditions but that people can see me as quiet or whatever else otherwise.
Finches do not like to be handled
1. Same! I am not a person who has ever really been overly fond of touch.
2. Some birds that are kept as pets apparently need to be held/touched regularly for their health and happiness, but for finches touching them should be limited to medical need to avoid frightening the birds and causing them stress.
3. From what I read though, finches can also observe from a far and eventually decide to initiate touch on their own which is good and fine, which continues to be an entire mood for my life.
A finch without other finches will probably die
1. Honestly, me. I’m very introverted and need a lot of alone time, but I also need the support of others or it doesn’t go well for me.
Finches are songbirds
1. Chaffinches (Which can largely be found throughout Europe) can have different songs based on where they live
2. Bullfinches can mimic songs which very much reminds me of the mockingjays in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series
Despite their small size they need a lot of space
1. Now, I am not very small, in fact I am fat, but I too need a lot of space to thrive as I am claustrophobic and can have that triggered if I don’t feel I have enough space even if the area isn’t ‘small’
Some finches (Typically the lighter ones) will hang upside down to eat
Finches are found all over the world
Their coloring can be affected by the food they are eating
There’s a finch called the Vampire Ground Finch that drinks the blood of other birds
1. They do remove parasites from Boobies (The bird) which can cause them to bleed
Canaries are a type of Finch
1. I learned recently that The Canary Resuscitator was made to provide the Canary safe clean air once they had shown signs of gas to help ensure they stayed alive even as the miners evacuated the area. Miners likely had good relationships with these canaries and are said to have enjoyed talking and whistling to them while they worked
A flock of Goldfinches is called a Charm
Finches prefer their own kind over humans
1. Vibes.
Some finches can foster birds of other species as needed