House Finch

House Finch

by Dave Zittin

Perhaps one of the most common backyard birds is the House Finch. The bright red head of most male House Finches, especially during breeding season, causes even the non-birder to comment on the “pretty red bird” they saw in their backyard. 

Male House Finch. Photo by Dave Zittin.

Male House Finch. Photo by Dave Zittin.

Attracting them to backyards 

House Finches are easily attracted to backyard seed feeders and will eat just about any seed that is available on the market for birds.  It does not matter where the seeds are placed, in a feeder or on the ground, they will be devoured by this species. Their strong, conical beak gives them the ability to crack open and remove husks in order to get at the nutritious seed inside. If you give them in-shell sunflower seeds, there will be a lot of husks on the ground which can be messy if you are feeding them over a patio or deck, but House Finches will have no problem removing the husks. 

Description 

The prominent red color on most male House Finches is due to their consumption of carotenoids which are a group of yellow-orange pigments that give color to carrots, flamingos, salmon, and many other living things. House Finches are unable to produce their own colors and the carotenoids in their diet make their way into their feathers giving them their characteristic colors. Sometimes, the diet of the male House Finch does not include enough of the “correct” pigments and it will end up showing a yellow or mustard-like color. Research shows that females select red males, the brighter the better, which suggests that their mate-to-be is probably going to be more successful at food gathering when it comes time to feed the young than a male with a color other than red. The female is a more drab gray and has numerous blurry, brown streaks on the breast and belly. 

Yellow Male House Finch. Photo by Brooke Miller.

Yellow Male House Finch. Photo by Brooke Miller.

Female House Finches. Photo by Dave Zittin

Female House Finches. Photo by Dave Zittin

Distribution 

House Finches are widespread. Initially they were found in the southwestern United States. They were introduced to the east coast as escaped cage birds in the 1930s and have spread over a large area in the east. The western population has been making its way north from the Southwest. Today the House Finch occurs in the U.S. west of the Rockies from the Mexican border north to the Canadian border, and in most of the eastern half of the country. There are also introduced populations in Hawaii. 

Similar species 

House Finches - especially the bright, red males - are sometimes mistaken for Purple Finches. Purple Finches are larger and not commonly found in backyards. The stripes on the side of the belly of the Purple Finch are red whereas those of the House Finch are dark brown. 

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Banner Photo: House Finch by Dave Zitten