Author: Carly Brooke

The cute little birds known collectively as finches aren’t as innocent as they appear, counting several unsavory species among their number. For example, there’s the Galápagos vampire finch, which has already shown a carnivorous propensity for opportunistic bloodsucking. Then there are the African species Amadina fasciata, or cut-throat finches, which do have an equally dread-inspiring name but thankfully not the behavior to back it up. They prefer to represent their street cred through hardcore plumage instead.   Only the male cut-throat finches have the bloody swath underneath their stubby beaks. No, it’s not a memento from their time in finch prison, but...