Purple Finch

Carpodacus purpureusOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Finches (Fringillidae)

Breeding Location:

Forests, coniferous, Forest edge, Mountains, Scrub vegetation areas

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Fairly common

Egg Color:

Light green blue with black and briwn markings

Number of Eggs:

3 - 5

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Twigs, weeds, rootlets, strips of bark, and string with moss and grass lining.

Migration:

Northern birds migrate

Overview

Purple Finch: Medium finch, rose-red body, brown streaks on nape, back. Sides, flanks, belly are dull white with red wash; sides show thick, faint streaks. Brown wings, notched tail. Eats seeds, fruits, insects and caterpillars. Swift flight, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.

Range and Habitat

Purple Finch: Breeds from British Columbia east to Newfoundland, southward in the western mountains to California and from eastern Minnesota east to West Virginia. Spends winters south to the U.S.-Mexico border. Preferred habitats include mixed and coniferous woodlands and ornamental conifers located in gardens.

Breeding and Nesting

Purple Finch: Three to five light green blue eggs, marked with black and brown, are laid in a well-made cup of grass and twigs, often lined with hair, and built in a conifer. Eggs are incubated for 13 days by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Purple Finch: Diet consists mostly of seeds, buds, blossoms, and fruits, usually taken from outer branches of trees and occasionally from the ground.

Readily Eats

Peanuts, Suet, Millet, Fruit, Sunflower Seeds (hulled), Commercial Mixed Bird Seed

Vocalization

Purple Finch: Song is a rich, musical warble. Call is a distinctive "tick" in flight.

Similar Species

Purple Finch: House Finch has brown streaks on breast and belly, less red on head, longer tail, and different call. Cassin's Finch has streaked undertail coverts, larger bill, and weakly notched tail.

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Purple Finch

● Song: "tick"

● Foraging & Feeding: Purple Finch: Diet consists mostly of seeds, buds, blossoms, and fruits, usually taken from outer branches of trees and occasionally from the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Purple Finch: Three to five light green blue eggs, marked with black and brown, are laid in a well-made cup of grass and twigs, often lined with hair, and built in a conifer. Eggs are incubated for 13 days by the female.

● Similar species: Purple Finch: House Finch has brown streaks on breast and belly, less red on head, longer tail, and different call. Cassin's Finch has streaked undertail coverts, larger bill, and weakly notched tail.

Flight Pattern

Swift bounding flight with rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Purple Finch: Breeds from British Columbia east to Newfoundland, southward in the western mountains to California and from eastern Minnesota east to West Virginia. Spends winters south to the U.S.-Mexico border. Preferred habitats include mixed and coniferous woodlands and ornamental conifers located in gardens.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationFairly common

^MigrationNorthern birds migrate

^Weight1.2 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Purple Finch

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Overview

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Readily Eats

Vocalization

Similar Species

Purple Finch

Flight Pattern