Editing Finch (section)

==Distribution and habitat==
[[File:American Goldfinch-27527.jpg|thumb|[[American goldfinch]] (''Spinus tristis'') male (left) and female (right) in [[Johnston County, North Carolina|Johnston County]], [[North Carolina]], USA]]
The finches have a near-global distribution, being found across the Americas, Eurasia and Africa, as well as some island groups such as the Hawaiian islands. They are absent from Australasia, Antarctica, the Southern Pacific and the islands of the Indian Ocean, although some European species have been widely [[introduced species|introduced]] in Australia and New Zealand.

Finches are typically inhabitants of well-wooded areas, but some can be found on mountains or even in [[desert]]s.