Great piece. Really informative writing, Nate, and fun to read.
I embrace Occam's Razor when I bird, when I see a finch I have to prove to myself that it's not a House Finch. There's are Purple Finches where I bird, but when a bird reveals itself to be a Purple rather than a House Finch it's a treat. As you say, they feel elusive. It's also a chance to flex some birding knowledge to myself and show that all this birding has yielded some know-how.
As for being treated charitably, I think part of it has to do with House Finches being pretty. Starlings and House Sparrows are pretty, but House Finches are more objectively pretty, I think.
They really are elusive. I've still never had more than one at a feeder at a time. Last weekend at my brother's there were none. Then suddenly one. Then three. The next day ten.
You may be on to something there. Male house finches can be really striking, especially when more saturated by that deep red. Now that I think about it, they also have an objectively prettier song than the other two.
Yup, year round. The song is a great point, beautiful and distinct with that finchy rise component. They’re oddly more palatable, I’d imagine, to a non-birder.
I am excited about your Substack. I came across it by accident. As I am a new birder ( this last fall I became interested-a story I tell on my Substack) I am looking forward
I sit right on that Purple Finch year-round/rare dividing line that is the Sierra Nevada. A few miles east of my house is Walker Pass which is where the western slope essentially becomes the eastern slope. And I’ve never seen a Purple Finch. I’m sure they exist here out in the scrub or riparian forest, but they haven’t shown themselves in years of watching. The House Finches, of course, are everywhere. At least here they are near to Hollywood!
Yeah, there seems to be a real difference between western Purple Finches and eastern ones. In the east we have zones where they're year-round, and the rest of us hope they'll irrupt south in the winter. In the west, they have a year round zones all the way from BC to southern Cal. Their winter irruption looks to be from lower to higher elevation. They also look different in subtle ways. I wonder if they'll be split as a species someday.
In any event, I hope you get to see them!! Eastern-western, they're gorgeous!
Such a fun (and informative) read! All these Purple Finches in the area lately made me real excited for this one.
I managed to avoid this beginner’s ID trap by constantly missing the Purple Finches at Beechwood and being tortured by Dan’s photos instead. One time, a Purple Finch showed up at the feeders while I was on a trail! Gone by the time I rushed back, of course.
But this is definitely one of those ID challenges where I just tell people, “If you’re not sure, it’s a House Finch.” The moment you actually see a Purple Finch, you just know. They’re completely unlike anything else you ever mistook for one.
I also love that they were once called “Hollywood Finches.” It’s like the pet shop owners were admitting they had nothing flashy to offer and just hoped the name would do the heavy lifting. Must’ve just been an easy bird to catch!
I share your hope for the Purple Finch. I know things aren’t looking great for birds in general, but I honestly don’t think House Finches pose as much of a threat as they’re sometimes made out to. They don’t really occupy the same niche, which is why they’ve been able to coexist this long. That said, I think I just can’t help but root for the scrappy little House Finch too.
Also, had to say: your Raspberry Finch photos are top notch. As is your new name suggestion. As always.
And even if you are sure, it's probably still a House finch.
Honestly wonder how many Purple Finches I missed in all my years of feeder watching.
It's a good question, how much do invasive birds impact native bird populations. Seems to me conservationists are focused much more on other threats--habitat loss, collisions, cats, climate change, etc. I'm not reading many articles about House Finches contributing to declining numbers.
And thank you! There's another batch of photos coming soon!
Most helpful! I live in southeast Georgia, too far south for purple finches. However, we have had an abundance of house finches until recently. No nests on the front porch this year, and I haven’t seen them at the feeders, as usual. It SEEMS to be the consequence of Hurricane Helene. We lost a great many trees.
Keep a lookout in winter! Purple Finches can make it down to Georgia, though I imagine that’s pretty rare, especially in the southeast.
House Finch numbers have been fluctuating for a couple of decades now. They’re dealing with some pretty nasty diseases. I think they were hit especially hard in the 90s by conjunctivitis. I’m sure the hurricane didn’t help though!
Wow, the purple finch is beautiful! I wish we had them down here. We do get the house finch here a lot. The local Publix has several of them nest inside the letters and it makes me happy every time I see them! They’ve given up trying to stop them from nesting there and I’m glad the finches won!
Excellent information, Nathaniel! I really like the historical background you provided on the House Finch and how they became so widespread. That photo of the male Purple Finch on the left and male House Finch on the right at the platform feeder shows their differences so well.
Early in them birding career, these two got me confused often. I have not seen very many Purple Finches, but House Finches? So many! Haha, I do like them though as well like House Sparrows and European Starlings.
I'm in the Ottawa Valley here in Eastern Ontario and within the year-round range of the Purple Finch. They do seem to be elusive though in the areas I regularly hike and observe Nature.
So nice to have them year-round! Here we had a single female who spent most of the year here, but that's pretty unusual.
I think I have the differences between the two species more or less sorted, but I could still see me confusing a female Purple Finch and a Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Unlike most people, it seems, I get very excited by the House Finches, because I so rarely see them here! The Purple Finches, on the other hand, swarm my yard daily. I do love them though. Last winter I had a large flock overwinter, but this past winter they disappeared with the cold. They're back with a vengeance now that snow is gone.
Great piece. Really informative writing, Nate, and fun to read.
I embrace Occam's Razor when I bird, when I see a finch I have to prove to myself that it's not a House Finch. There's are Purple Finches where I bird, but when a bird reveals itself to be a Purple rather than a House Finch it's a treat. As you say, they feel elusive. It's also a chance to flex some birding knowledge to myself and show that all this birding has yielded some know-how.
As for being treated charitably, I think part of it has to do with House Finches being pretty. Starlings and House Sparrows are pretty, but House Finches are more objectively pretty, I think.
You must have Purple Finches year round, right?
They really are elusive. I've still never had more than one at a feeder at a time. Last weekend at my brother's there were none. Then suddenly one. Then three. The next day ten.
You may be on to something there. Male house finches can be really striking, especially when more saturated by that deep red. Now that I think about it, they also have an objectively prettier song than the other two.
Yup, year round. The song is a great point, beautiful and distinct with that finchy rise component. They’re oddly more palatable, I’d imagine, to a non-birder.
I am excited about your Substack. I came across it by accident. As I am a new birder ( this last fall I became interested-a story I tell on my Substack) I am looking forward
To learning by reading your posts.
Thanks for subscribing!! Looking forward to reading your birding origin story!
I sit right on that Purple Finch year-round/rare dividing line that is the Sierra Nevada. A few miles east of my house is Walker Pass which is where the western slope essentially becomes the eastern slope. And I’ve never seen a Purple Finch. I’m sure they exist here out in the scrub or riparian forest, but they haven’t shown themselves in years of watching. The House Finches, of course, are everywhere. At least here they are near to Hollywood!
Yeah, there seems to be a real difference between western Purple Finches and eastern ones. In the east we have zones where they're year-round, and the rest of us hope they'll irrupt south in the winter. In the west, they have a year round zones all the way from BC to southern Cal. Their winter irruption looks to be from lower to higher elevation. They also look different in subtle ways. I wonder if they'll be split as a species someday.
In any event, I hope you get to see them!! Eastern-western, they're gorgeous!
I was just singing that Prince hit to some PUFIs last weekend!
That’s the best possible reply I could have woken up to! It’s been in my head all week! :D
Such a fun (and informative) read! All these Purple Finches in the area lately made me real excited for this one.
I managed to avoid this beginner’s ID trap by constantly missing the Purple Finches at Beechwood and being tortured by Dan’s photos instead. One time, a Purple Finch showed up at the feeders while I was on a trail! Gone by the time I rushed back, of course.
But this is definitely one of those ID challenges where I just tell people, “If you’re not sure, it’s a House Finch.” The moment you actually see a Purple Finch, you just know. They’re completely unlike anything else you ever mistook for one.
I also love that they were once called “Hollywood Finches.” It’s like the pet shop owners were admitting they had nothing flashy to offer and just hoped the name would do the heavy lifting. Must’ve just been an easy bird to catch!
I share your hope for the Purple Finch. I know things aren’t looking great for birds in general, but I honestly don’t think House Finches pose as much of a threat as they’re sometimes made out to. They don’t really occupy the same niche, which is why they’ve been able to coexist this long. That said, I think I just can’t help but root for the scrappy little House Finch too.
Also, had to say: your Raspberry Finch photos are top notch. As is your new name suggestion. As always.
And even if you are sure, it's probably still a House finch.
Honestly wonder how many Purple Finches I missed in all my years of feeder watching.
It's a good question, how much do invasive birds impact native bird populations. Seems to me conservationists are focused much more on other threats--habitat loss, collisions, cats, climate change, etc. I'm not reading many articles about House Finches contributing to declining numbers.
And thank you! There's another batch of photos coming soon!
Most helpful! I live in southeast Georgia, too far south for purple finches. However, we have had an abundance of house finches until recently. No nests on the front porch this year, and I haven’t seen them at the feeders, as usual. It SEEMS to be the consequence of Hurricane Helene. We lost a great many trees.
Keep a lookout in winter! Purple Finches can make it down to Georgia, though I imagine that’s pretty rare, especially in the southeast.
House Finch numbers have been fluctuating for a couple of decades now. They’re dealing with some pretty nasty diseases. I think they were hit especially hard in the 90s by conjunctivitis. I’m sure the hurricane didn’t help though!
great read. thanks Nate
Thank you for reading, Sandra!
Been seeing more purples here in the pnw these days. Light standard- lol!
I'm very glad to hear that! We need them.
I love the photo of the two female finches. It looks like they're gossiping to each other! What would they talk about, I wonder?
What do Rs and Ds talk about when they get together? Same vibe I'm guessing.
Politics??? Not on a Friday birding post with a Prince pun in the subject line, please!
Fair. We’ll put that off until your birthday.
Cute.
What’s with that big white spot surrounding Utah on the range map?! No love from the Raspberry Finch here
It's kind of nuts. Only Utah left out of the party entirely. What gives?
Wow, the purple finch is beautiful! I wish we had them down here. We do get the house finch here a lot. The local Publix has several of them nest inside the letters and it makes me happy every time I see them! They’ve given up trying to stop them from nesting there and I’m glad the finches won!
That would be a really extreme irruption for them to show up in FL, it looks like, but I'll bet it's happened!
Grocery stores should just let the birds nest. It makes the shopping more enjoyable, and they can't win in the long run lol
Perhaps they are house sparrows then. I never had a good look at them and was told they were house finches. But who knows!
No I mean it would be an extreme irruption for Purple Finches to show up in FL. Looks like FL is just outside their wintering range.
I'm sure your Publix has its share of House Finches!
Ahh the purple ones, yes for sure! Maybe I can send Jean over to them to let them know there’s a great yard somewhere in south Florida.
Jean is going to be a busy bird with all these unscheduled migrations.
She’s happy to do it, she says
Excellent information, Nathaniel! I really like the historical background you provided on the House Finch and how they became so widespread. That photo of the male Purple Finch on the left and male House Finch on the right at the platform feeder shows their differences so well.
Early in them birding career, these two got me confused often. I have not seen very many Purple Finches, but House Finches? So many! Haha, I do like them though as well like House Sparrows and European Starlings.
I'm in the Ottawa Valley here in Eastern Ontario and within the year-round range of the Purple Finch. They do seem to be elusive though in the areas I regularly hike and observe Nature.
So nice to have them year-round! Here we had a single female who spent most of the year here, but that's pretty unusual.
I think I have the differences between the two species more or less sorted, but I could still see me confusing a female Purple Finch and a Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Thanks for reading, Neil!!
Unlike most people, it seems, I get very excited by the House Finches, because I so rarely see them here! The Purple Finches, on the other hand, swarm my yard daily. I do love them though. Last winter I had a large flock overwinter, but this past winter they disappeared with the cold. They're back with a vengeance now that snow is gone.
Ahhhh yay! I’m so glad I could provide this helpful interruption. Now back to your regularly scheduled planting! :)
Thanks for reading!