They are found throughout the North American continent. Both species have attractive brown and red plumage, but they look so similar that careful observation and practice is necessary to confidently tell these two birds apart. Legs and feet are gray-brown. House Finch es are common and widespread across most of North America, including Hawaii. It generally doesn't overlap with the Purple Finch, which is fortunate because the two are remarkably similar. Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, Rosy red or pink red, more overall red color, Blurry streaking, streaked undertail coverts, Sharper streaks (females), white undertail coverts, White wing bars, short primary projection, Boreal Canada in summer, eastern and central U.S. in winter, year-round on Pacific coast, Great Lakes, northeast. With a little practice, you can learn the clearest field marks for each of these species. When watching these brown and red finches, studying details of their appearance and behavior can help birders determine which bird is which. 44 Perfect Gifts for the Bird and Nature Lovers in Your Life, How the Evening Grosbeak Got Its Misleading Name. Spread the word. Purple finches also have much more extensive red extending on the crown, nape, back, chest, cheeks, and flanks. Type in your search and hit Enter on desktop or hit Go on mobile device. Or take action immediately with one of our current campaigns below: The Audubon Bird Guide is a free and complete field guide to more than 800 species of North American birds, right in your pocket. In winter they migrate as far south as Florida, but they don't typically visit the Interior West at any time of year. But there are a few places where it's possible to see any of the three red finches! The female … National Audubon Society Red finches can be a welcome addition to bird feeders, but identifying house finches and purple finches can be a challenge even for experienced birders. The amount of red varies with age. While house and purple finches have a lot of similarities, there are enough subtle differences between the species that they can be positively identified with patience and practice. Medium-sized, dumpy finch with a stubby bill. Both these small birds can be active and hard to observe closely to note subtle differences in shape, color, or plumage. We protect birds and the places they need. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Separating them requires care; you need to depend on multiple characteristics to confirm each ID. Audubon does not participate in political campaigns, nor do we support or oppose candidates.”. Some clues to help distinguish between these two often-confused finches. Native to the Southwest, they are recent arrivals in the East. Size and tail color are two of the biggest clues when deciphering these two backyard regulars. Over time, however, even novice birders can develop a familiarity with these birds that will help them identify each species confidently. It’s the least you can do. This can be easy if the finches are attracted to bird feeders, giving birders good opportunities to watch them more closely. (Cassin’s has a longer, straighter beak and a noticeable eye ring.) Female Purple Finches have a well-defined white mark above each eye and are more crisply patterned. As always, structure and behavior are also useful. Bald Eagle. The female finches are more problematic. Visit your local Audubon center, join a chapter, or help save birds with your state program. It's probably one of these eight hungry visitors. Can This Critically Endangered Bird Survive Australia's New Climate Reality? More than 800 North American birds at your fingertips—all for free. Females and young males of both species are simply brown and white, and can be especially tricky. House Finches are common and widespread across most of North America, including Hawaii. Among high-elevation conifer forests in western Montana to northwestern New Mexico and Nevada, Cassin’s is the most likely of the trio. Photo: Howard Arndt/Audubon Photography Awards, Great Egret. Meanwhile, P urple Finch es nest in Canada, along the Pacific, and in the Northeast. That’s partly due to the cheerful red head and breast of males, and to the bird’s long, twittering song, which can now be heard in most of the neighborhoods of the continent. The male common rosefinch is more rose-pink overall and lacks distinct streaking on its belly. Bounding flight. Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. In winter they migrate as far south as Florida, but they don't typically visit the Interior West at any time of year. Even on the coldest days, they will stick around, brightening up the yard with animated flashes of color. Forages on ground and in trees and shrubs for seeds and insects. ). Overwhelmed and Understaffed, Our National Wildlife Refuges Need Help. Legal Notices Privacy Policy Contact Us. To see each bird's range, visit our online field guide, or download our free Audubon bird guide app. Pumpkin Bird Feeder Makes a Happy Harvest For Birds, To Help Birds This Winter, Go Easy on Fall Yard Work, Learn to Identify Five Owls by Their Calls, How to Tell a Hairy Woodpecker From a Downy Woodpecker, How to Predict Which Canadian Birds Will Crash Your Feeders This Winter, Help power unparalleled conservation work for birds across the Americas, Stay informed on important news about birds and their habitats, Receive reduced or free admission across our network of centers and sanctuaries, Access a free guide of more than 800 species of North American birds, Discover the impacts of climate change on birds and their habitats, Learn more about the birds you love through audio clips, stunning photography, and in-depth text. A few more notes: Color is helpful, but it varies among individuals, so use caution. Gradually, it will become easier to identify these finches—but don’t get overconfident. One last caveat: In the Interior West, the Cassin’s Finch—a third look-alike—is also thrown into the mix. Audubon protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. Bill is dark gray and stout. House finches are a classic red or red-orange like a ripe strawberry, while purple finches are more of a dark pink or rosy hue similar to a raspberry or red wine. New York pet shop owners, who had been selling the finches illegally, released their birds in 1940 to escape prosecution; the finches survived, and began to colonize the New York suburbs. Left: House Finch. Adaptable, colorful, and cheery-voiced, House Finches are common from coast to coast today, familiar visitors to backyard feeders. Speak out against the Yazoo Backwater Pumps which would drain 200,000 acres of crucial bird habitat. By using The Spruce, you accept our, House Finch and Purple Finch Identification Characteristics, Field Identification Tips for House and Purple Finches, House Finch and Purple Finch Quick Reference, How to Use Wing Structure to Identify Birds, American Crow or Common Raven: Identifying Differences. The good news is that all three of these finches love sunflower seeds. She has over 16 years experience writing about wild birds for magazines and websites. Meanwhile, Purple Finches nest in Canada, along the Pacific, and in the Northeast. Even experts get flummoxed by finches, but don’t despair. First, consult a map. Are the Trump Administration's Environmental Rollbacks Built to Last? Common Rosefinch: Small, stocky finch, red upperparts and breast, faintly streaked brown back, white underparts. Click or tap on the dots on the photos and let them guide you. Photo: Dick Dickinson/Audubon Photography Awards. Taxonomy In a molecular phylogenetic study of the finch family published in 2012, Zuccon and colleagues found that the common rosefinch fell outside the core Carpodacus rosefinch clade and was a sister to the scarlet finch (at the time Haematospiza sipahi).