>Howdy Tweeters,
> Has anyone ever heard of a local bird species referred to as a Society
Finch? A co-worker described a pair of birds which has nested in their
fuschia for a number of consecutive years and said neighbors called it by
that name.

A possibility: The name "Society Finch" is used in aviculture as an
alternate name for the Bengalese, a highly variable domestic estrildid finch
of uncertain wild origin (Lonchura striata). Bengalese usually have white
patches on the head, wings and tail, which does not fit the description of
your bird, but is it possible that you may be dealing with an escapee of one
of its relatives (usually called mannikins, not to be confused with the
manakins of the New World tropics)? These birds make domed nests not unlike
a bushtit's, to my recollection.
--
Ronald I. Orenstein Phone: (905) 820-7886 (home)
International Wildlife Coalition Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116 (home)
Home: 1825 Shady Creek Court Messages: (416) 368-4661
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 3W2 Internet: ornstn at inforamp.net
Office: 130 Adelaide Street W., Suite 1940
Toronto, Ontario Canada M5H 3P5