House Finch

Male House Finch

House Finches are highly social and until October 1st were frequent visitors to our bird feeders. They left (migrated) about the same time as the Lesser Goldfinches.

Female House Finch

Male House Finches have a red face, breast, and belly. Wings and tail are brown. Females have no red. They are brown with thick, blurry streaks.

Male House Finch and Female Northern Cardinal

The House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, was originally found only in the western US and Mexico. A few birds were brought to NY pet stores in an attempt to sell them as "Hollywood Finches". People didn't buy them and so, in 1940 they were released from their cages on Long Island, NY. The quickly spread across the eastern US and southern Canada. In 1988 the eastern and western populations of House Finches met at the Missouri River in Nebraska.