Thursday, December 15, 2022

Does bird seed go bad?

Are birds not eating the seeds at your feeder? Did birds stop coming to your feeder? Or are you having trouble getting birds to come to a feeder? You may wonder if the seed is bad. Yes, this can be a problem.


This article answers the questions:

How long does bird seed remain fresh?

How can you tell if bird seed has gone bad?

How can you make bird seed last longer?


How long until bird seed goes bad?


Bird seed has a store shelf life of 6 months to 2 years, depending upon type of seed. But once you get home and open it, bird seed can go bad in a few weeks or last up to 6 months.

Manufacturers often put an expiration date of 2 years on bird seed. If kept in cool, dry conditions, some bird seed may still be nutritious that long. But bird seed 12 months old is probably starting to get stale. (Reference)

Black oil sunflower seed has a shelf life of about 6-12 months.

Because Niger seed (Nyjer trademark) is sterilized with heat to kill it and keep it from sprouting, it only stays fresh 3-6 months.

That said, the quality and freshness of bird seed in the store varies. If birds aren't coming to your feeder, buying fresh seed is a quick way to see if stale seed is the problem or not. Birds should find a newly stocked feeder in a few days.


Photo of bird seed
Photo by ivabalk from Pixabay.


How to tell if bird seed is bad


Are birds coming to your feeder but not eating the seed? It's bad.

At your feeder, all seed should be eaten in 2-3 days. If not, replace it. Don't just add more. Throw out the old and add new.

If the seed in your feeder got wet, then remove any clumps of damp bird seed and clean the feeder. In many places winter weather can be damp and rainy continuously. It takes vigilance to keep your feeder clean and seed dry. The seed is fine for birds for a few days following rainy weather. But clean out the feeder when you can--at least once weekly.

If you have stored last season's bird seed at home, it may also be bad. If birds aren't eating it, then it needs to be replaced with fresh seed.

Old seed can dry out and lose nutritional value and taste. Crack open some seeds of black oil sunflowers. Squeeze the meaty kernel between your fingers. It should be a bit oily when crushed.

Bird seed can absorb moisture or have gotten wet with rain and snow. If the bird seed feels damp or clumps, it has been wet and probably should be thrown out.

Smell the seed. If it smells musty or sour it may be rancid. The seed is bad.

Look for fuzzy strands of mold, mildew, and fungus. Do the seeds feel slimy? These are all signs that the seed is bad. Don't feed it to the birds! Especially look for this in seed stuck in the bottom cracks of the feeder. Clean and wash the feeder (warm soapy water or even diluted bleach) or it will quickly spread to any new seed you add. Maybe swap feeders with a clean one until you can get to the old one.

Are any of the seeds sprouting? They got wet and are now not nutritious.

Do you see live or dead insects, caterpillars or moths in the seed? It is time to buy fresh seed. This can even happen with new seed that you buy.


How to make bird seed last longer and not go bad


After you purchase bird seed, transfer it to a strong plastic or metal container with air-tight seal. The goal is to keep out insects, rodents, and moisture.

Store the container indoors, in a cool, dry location. If you store it outside where it may get damp and warm, it won't last as long. That's all right if you are going through it and replacing it regularly. Just remember that bird seed stored outside will go bad sooner.

Use your older seed first. As long as the birds are still eating it, use up the old seed before opening new. That way you don't have any really old seed you are feeding to the birds.


I recently purchased this beautiful tube feeder and fill it with black oil sunflower seeds. This combination really attracts the finches and reduces the number of house sparrows.


My birds really love Wagner's Songbird Supreme mixed bird seed. It's 50% black oil sunflower seed. There's no filler seed in here that birds won't eat--they love it all!


You may like these related posts:

25 Reasons Birds Aren't Coming to Your Feeder

Tips to QUICKLY Attract Birds to Your Feeder

How Do Birds Know When You Fill the Feeder?



Monday, November 14, 2022

Feeding birds suet

Would you like to attract a larger variety of birds to your feeders?

Consider feeding birds suet.


This article answers questions about feeding birds suet.

  • What is suet?
  • Why feed birds suet?
  • Who eats suet at the feeder?
  • How do you feed birds suet?
  • When do you feed suet to birds?
  • Where do you hang a suet feeder?


I also answer other questions you may have.


At the end of the article (and throughout), I provide some links to products you may buy on Amazon. I earn commissions from these if you purchase. It is greatly appreciated!



Photo of Downy Woodpecker on suet feeder
Downy Woodpecker on suet cage feeder. Greg Gillson.



What is suet for birds?


Traditionally, suet is the raw hard fat around kidneys of cows and sheep. When it comes to feeding birds, however, it has a wider meaning.

Suet for feeding birds is any kind of rendered (melted) animal fat or vegetable fat that is solid at room temperature. This is often mixed with rolled oats, corn meal, and flour as a base. Then various "flavors" are added, including peanut butter, berries or dried fruit, nuts, bird seed, or mealworms.

In fact, peanut butter can be used as the base, as a replacement for some of the fat.

I include a recipe below if you want to do it yourself.



Why feed suet to birds?


There are two reasons to feed birds suet. Suet is good for birds. Suet attracts a wider variety of birds to your bird feeder than just bird seed alone.

Suet is a high-energy food perfect for the high metabolic rate of birds. Suet provides birds fat and calories during migration and winter. 

Suet is especially valuable to birds during prolonged cold spells. They need to maintain their high body temperature during the long cold nights. Suet helps them to do so.



What kind of birds eat suet?


A surprising variety of birds will eat suet. These include insect eaters, omnivores, and even some seed eating birds.

Chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, woodpeckers and jays are all highly attracted to suet. Wrens, warblers, kinglets, thrashers, starlings, blackbirds, creepers, cardinals, goldfinches, robins, bluebirds and mockingbirds are some of the other birds that will visit your feeders for suet.

Why would these birds eat suet (beef fat)? Isn't that unnatural? Actually, no. This is animal protein the same as if they found a nice big juicy grub to eat. Yum!

Woodpeckers eat suet. Woodpeckers reported as eating suet include Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Gila Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker.

Chickadees eat suet. All chickadees eat suet including Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee.

Wrens eat suet. All wrens will eat suet. Those reported doing so include Bewick's Wren, Carolina Wren.

Nuthatches eat suet. All nuthatches eat suet. These include Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch.

Titmice eat suet. All titmice will eat suet. Those recorded doing so include Tufted Titmouse.

Kinglets eat suet. Ruby-crowned Kinglets eat suet.

Bushtits eat suet. Here they are!


Photo of Bushtits on suet feeder
Over 20 Bushtits on a suet feeder! Greg Gillson.


Jays, magpies, and crows eat suet. That's not unusual, as they also eat carrion. Those corvids recorded eating suet include Steller's Jay, Blue Jay, California Scrub-Jay, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow. These birds can eat a lot of suet in a short time. See farther below for tips on reducing their presence at your suet feeder.

Some warblers eat suet. Especially do warblers that stay late in the fall or through the winter eat suet. These include Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler.

European Starlings, grackles, cowbirds, and blackbirds eat suet. These flocking birds can cansume a lot of suet in a short time. See farther below for tips on reducing their presence at suet feeders.

Brown Creepers eat suet.

Northern Cardinals eat suet.

Thrashers eat suet. Brown Thrashers and Curve-billed Thrashers eat suet.

Goldfinches eat suet. American Goldfinches eat suet.

Robins and thrushes eat suet. American Robins, Varied Thrushes, Hermit Thrushes eat suet.

Bluebirds eat suet. Eastern and Western Bluebirds eat suet.

Northern Mockingbirds eat suet.


What other birds eat suet? Let everyone know in the comments below just who comes to your suet feeder!



How do you feed birds suet?


There are several ways to feed suet to birds. 

Usually, you need suet AND a special suet feeder. Throughout this article I have included some links and recommendations for you of suet and suet feeders to buy.

Blocks of suet are often placed in a metal suet cage. [See the photo of Downy Woodpecker above.] The cage keeps larger birds, such as crows, ravens, magpies from stealing all the suet. Cages also prevent dogs from carrying off the whole block.

There are suet balls that are placed on a tray feeder or in special-built suet ball feeders.

Many bird feeders have suet feeder cages attached.

Certain suet ("bark butter") can be spread on the bark of trees.


I wrote an earlier article you may enjoy: Where to hang a suet feeder to attract the most birds.



How do you keep unwanted birds from eating all the suet?


Upside-down suet feeders allow woodpeckers and small birds to feed easily on suet. However, it limits larger birds from eating all the suet. Upside-down suet feeders do a good job of thwarting Starlings, blackbirds, and jays from taking all the suet.


Photo of Black-capped Chickadee on suet feeder
Black-capped Chickadee on upside-down suet feeder. Greg Gillson.


I like the Nature's Way upside-down suet feeder pictured above. It worked very well for me. Here is a link to buy it on Amazon.



How to keep large birds from suet feeders?

How to keep starlings, grackles and blackbirds away from suet feeders?

How do you keep jays and crows away from suet feeders?


The upside-down suet feeder is a good choice for keeping larger birds such as jays and starlings from eating all the suet at your feeder.


Photo of Steller's Jay at suet feeder
Thwarted! Steller's Jay at upside-down suet feeder. Greg Gillson.


A squirrel baffle hung just over the suet will keep larger birds from suet.



There are some suet feeders that are surrounded by a cage that keeps out larger birds. But these tend to keep out several larger desirable birds too. But it's perfect for feeding suet to chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches.




When should you feed birds suet?


Suet is often fed as a winter bird food. It does get soft and messy in summer heat, though the melting temperature is generally at or above 113 degrees F.

No-melt suet should be fine up to 130 degrees F. Many people feed suet to birds year-round.

The problem with suet in summer is two-fold.

Firstly, suet gets soft in summer heat (95 degrees F for rendered fat) and can mess up the bird's feathers. It's also quite messy to put it into the feeder when the suet is soft.

Does suet go bad?

Secondly, suet can go rancid. You should only put out an amount of suet that birds can eat in a week. Old suet, or suet showing mold or mildew should be removed and the suet cage cleaned. The fat itself doesn't go rancid, rather it's the other ingredients such as oat or corn meal or fruit. If it smells sour, it's bad.


Other questions about suet


How do you store suet?

Store suet in a shaded, cool area until needed. You may also freeze it.


Do the flavors of suet matter?

Not that I've seen. But maybe I haven't experimented enough. I noted no difference in the appeal of the berry or the peanut of the suet I offered (but I bought it because it was the cheapest). Try different flavors and let me know in the comments below!


Can I make my own suet?

Yes, you can!

Google "homemade suet for birds."

Here's a peanut butter suet recipe from Birds and Bloom (source)

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup lard
  • 2 cups of oatmeal (not instant)
  • 2 cups mixed bird seed
  • 1 cup of corn meal
  • 1 cup of flour

Melt the lard and peanut butter together over low heat. Mix other ingredients into large bowl. Pour the melted ingredients into the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir together. form into chunks and cool in refrigerator for 2 hours.

From this basic recipe you can go crazy with other additions.

It's less messy just to buy it, but probably not as fun!



Suet and suet feeders you may purchase


Here are some products to get you started. I earn a small commission if you purchase items using the following links. Thank you!

Suet feeders on Amazon.

Suet cakes on Amazon.


My personal purchases:

St Albans Bay Suet Cakes (10 pack, 5 berry and 5 peanut)

Nature's Way Cedar Upside-Down Suet Feeder (pictures above to thwart larger birds)

C&S Suet Basket (simple and inexpensive)


Related Articles

Feeding Birds Mealworms


Sunday, October 16, 2022

Redbird: What type of birds are red?

Did you see a bright red bird in the United States or Canada?

Chances are, it is one of the birds on this page!

The common kind of bright red bird of the eastern United States is the Northern Cardinal.


Photo of Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal. Greg Gillson.


In fact, Northern Cardinals are one of the top 3 most common backyard birds from Maryland to Florida and from Iowa to Texas and everywhere in between!

Northern Cardinals are such popular and colorful red birds that they are the official State Bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Northern Cardinals are often called "redbirds." They are found in dense shrubbery in yards and woods. They visit bird feeders. Their favorite foods are black oil sunflower seeds, striped sunflowers, and safflower seeds.

Only the males are red. Females are buff-brown but have the orange bill and a short crest.



What birds are red besides cardinals?


Perhaps, though, you saw a red bird, but it wasn't a Northern Cardinal. What else could it be?

There are several other types of red birds besides Cardinals. 

One of the most widespread red birds at bird feeders in the United States that isn't a cardinal is the House Finch.


Photo of House Finch
House Finch. Greg Gillson.


House Finches are common birds at backyard bird feeders throughout the Unites States and southern Canada.

House Finches are most often found in noisy flocks. 

Only the males have red on them. And they are heavily streaked with brown. The top of the crown is brown. The red-orange coloration is concentrated on the forehead, upper breast, and rump. Some birds are orange, or even yellow!

Females are streaky brown, with no red. They have a plain brown face with no obvious pattern.

House Finches love bird feeders stocked with black oil sunflower seeds. They also eat Niger seed.


Purple Finches are found in northern and damp western woods. In the East they also move south in winter. So, it is possible to see Purple Finches in much of the country at some time of year.

These finches lack the dark breast streaking of House Finches. The whole bird seems to show a red tint. Is the whole top of the head raspberry red? It's probably a Purple Finch!


Photo of Purple Finch
Purple Finch. Greg Gillson.


Like the other red birds on this page, the females are brown. You might recognize them by their bushy crests, short, forked tails and pale eyebrow that wraps all the way around the darker cheek.

Purple Finches usually show up as singles or pairs at your feeder, generally not in flocks. They eat black oil sunflower seeds.


Cassin's Finches are found only in the drier mountains of the West, frequenting ponderosa pines and juniper. 

Males are more delicate rose pink, with a red cap. They are paler than Purple Finches, with thin white eye rings, but otherwise very similar.


Photo of Cassin's Finch
Cassin's Finch. Greg Gillson.


Females are pale with light brown streaks. They look very much like female Purple Finches. The best way to identify them is when they accompany the males! But careful observers may note that the pale eyebrow is streaked and that the under-tail coverts are streaked with brown. The tail is more deeply forked. The bill is larger and straighter on the upper edge.

Look for these finches at ski resorts and at bird feeders in communities high in the mountains of the West.


Red Crossbills are found regularly in the forests of the West and boreal forests in Alaska and across Canada, south barely to the northern tier of states from Minnesota to Maine.

These nomadic birds feed on cone seeds. Every couple of years the cone crops in the north fail to produce. In these years birds irrupt south. In some special years, large numbers reach all the way to the southern United States.


Photo of Red Crossbill
Red Crossbill. Greg Gillson.


Females and young often show a yellow or yellow green hue.

These birds are short and plump with big heads. The tails are short and forked. They often are seen in large flocks flying high over the forests at tree-top level calling with clicking chirps.

Even when hungry birds move south, they usually feed in the pine and spruce trees. They don't visit bird feeders very often.



What bird is bright red?


To my eyes, the Vermilion Flycatcher is the brightest red bird. The males are a hurt-your-eyes scarlet, a deep red-orange The camera has trouble capturing just how shockingly intense red this bird is!



Photo of Vermilion Flycatcher
Vermilion Flycatcher. Greg Gillson.


Again, females are not colored as boldly. The dark upper parts of the male are replaced with brown. The under parts are pale with long streaks on the breast. And the belly and undertail coverts are yellowish.

These desert birds of the Southwest, perch on lower branches of trees. Then they sally out to grab insects in the air. They also drop to the ground to pounce on insects there.

What did they do before golf courses? That seems to be their primary habitat! You may also find them in large parks with extensive lawns with scattered trees.



What birds are completely red?


There are two birds that are completely red. The more common completely red bird is the male Summer Tanager.

Summer Tanagers are about the size of Northern Cardinals. But they don't have a crest. The bill is pale.

Female Summer Tanagers are yellowish or yellow-green. Immature males are yellow with large red splotches on their feathers.


Photo of Summer Tanager
Photo of Summer Tanager. Greg Gillson.


Summer Tanagers are found in the Southeast and Southwest during summer. They spend most of their time high in large deciduous trees or mixed woods.

They eat primarily bees and wasps, but may come to the feeder for fruit or grape jelly.


Another all-red bird is the Hepatic Tanager. 

Male Hepatic Tanagers are red-orange but show gray on the flanks and back. The red is brightest on the crown and throat. The bill is dark.


Photo of Hepatic Tanger
Hepatic Tanager. Greg Gillson.


Female Hepatic Tanagers are rather gray with yellow on crown and throat.

These birds are rather rare summer inhabitants of pine-oak forests in mountains of the Southwest.

These birds are not likely to visit your feeder. But if they do, they may be attracted to grape jelly.



What birds are red and black?


While The Northern Cardinal and Vermilion Tanager that we described above are both red and black, the primary red and black bird that is common in the summer in the eastern United States is the Scarlet Tanager.

Males are deep red with black wings and tail. Females are green with black wings and tail.


Photo of Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanager. USF&WS.


Scarlet Tanagers live high in the treetops in deciduous woods.

Like other tanagers, they feed on insects, but may eat grape jelly.



What hummingbird is completely red?


In the West, the Rufous Hummingbird is completely red. Well, actually, it is more correct to say that the males are rusty cinnamon-colored, with ruby-red throats.

The white under parts are washed with cinnamon, too.


Photo of Rufous Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird. Greg Gillson.


Female Rufous Hummingbirds are green above with a cinnamon wash on the flanks and tail base.

Thes birds breed in summer from Oregon and Idaho north to Southeast Alaska. They are common in migration throughout most of the West.

Rufous Hummingbirds are easily attracted to hummingbird feeders.


In coastal California, the Allen's Hummingbird is a summer bird in northern California and a year-round resident in southern California.

Allen's Hummingbirds look quite similar to Rufous Hummingbirds, but the center of the back is green.



Red birds of each state


The red birds above aren't the only red birds. There are some red ducks, red hawks, and other birds that tend toward rusty or orange.

Are you curious about what kinds of red, rusty, and orange birds are common where you live?




Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Hummingbirds Fighting Over Feeders

The Aztec God of War, Huitzilopochtli, is often depicted as a Hummingbird.


It is natural for hummingbirds to fight over the hummingbird feeder.


We love to feed hummingbirds! We love to see the glistening metallic colors of the male hummingbirds flashing in the sun. We enjoy how close they get to us and how fearless and active they are.

However, many people are concerned about their aggressive behaviors toward other hummingbirds. 

Why does one hummingbird take over the feeder? Why do they have to fight so much? Do hummingbirds hurt themselves when they fight? Is there anything I can do to stop them from fighting? 

These are the questions this article answers.



Photo of Costa's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird. Greg Gillson.


Why do hummingbirds fight over feeders?


Hummingbirds fight over feeders to protect the sweet nectar--an important food source. 

Hummingbirds have high metabolisms and must consume from 3 to 7 calories per day. Many of these calories come from the sugar in nectar.

Flowers are the hummingbirds' natural nectar food source. But flowers don't last long. Hummingbirds are on a constant lookout for new blooming flower patches. When they find a nectar source, they protect it. Feeder wars are a matter of life and death!

Hummingbirds need 1/4-acre territories with insect food, nectar, and water. Males that have the best territories will mate with the most females. The most belligerent and aggressive male is thus the most desirable, from the female's point of view. He will guard the best territory and will sire strong offspring that have a better chance of surviving to adulthood.

No wonder hummingbirds fight over your hummingbird feeder! Hummingbird feeders are a long-lasting and reliable source of nectar that gives the male a better chance of winning the affections of the females.

I've talked as if it is only the male that fights. But this is not true. All hummingbirds have a pecking order, and all will fight one another at the feeder.

There is a time, though, that hummingbirds don't fight at the feeder. It is at dusk. Often several hummingbirds will feed at the feeder relatively peacefully, as they get the last drink of nectar before total darkness.



Photo of Broad-billed Hummingbird at feeder
Broad-billed Hummingbird. Greg Gillson.


How do you stop hummingbirds from fighting over feeders?


The one way to stop hummingbirds from fighting over your hummingbird feeder is to hang several hummingbird feeders. The more, the better.

While the bully hummingbird is off chasing one hummingbird, others can sneak in for a drink. Of course, when the most dominant hummingbird is away, the second-most dominant hummingbird is the new boss. So, fighting continues. 

The more hummingbird feeders there are, the less successful fighting. Why? Because if the dominant bird is always chasing others away, he drinks less nectar. A point comes when it is more advantageous to drink and share in peace than it is to fight.

My small 10-ounce feeder will supply the daily calorie needs of about 50 hummingbirds. Or 10 hummingbirds for 5 days before it needs refilled. And that's only if they don't get any nectar from other sources. Thus, it is often better to have several small hummingbird feeders partially filled than fill up one large feeder. 

The goal here is to attract more hummingbirds at one time so one bird doesn't drive off all the others. You get rid of the bully hummingbird by giving him too much competition.

Several hummingbird feeders placed rather closely together seems to work best for stopping hummingbirds from fighting. However, if you are unable to attract large numbers of hummingbirds, then having a lone second hummingbird feeder out-of-sight of the first feeder works, too.

How many hummingbird feeders do you need? I've seen 5 or 6 feeders work well, with 3 grouped together and others spaced out around the yard. Of course, this takes a lot of dedication on your part to keep them all filled and cleaned!



Photo of Anna's Hummingbird on branch
Anna's Hummingbird. Greg Gillson.


How do hummingbirds fight over feeders?


The dominant male usually sits on an elevated perch where he can keep an eye on the hummingbird feeder.

When another hummingbird appears at the feeder, male or female, the dominant bird comes flying in with a loud angry wing buzz and chattering vocal calls. This is often enough to make submissive birds flee without anyone getting hurt. The dominant bird chases the other bird, often quite far away!

If the interloper stands his ground, though, the fighting becomes more intense. They may hit, bite, stab, or claw. They may even knock each other to the ground! Usually, one bird surrenders and flies off defeated.

Rarely, evenly matched hummingbirds may be physically injured or die in these fights. But this is highly unusual. You don't get the territory and win the female if you're dead.

Of course, even female hummingbirds fight at the feeder. But their fights with each other aren't usually as much of a battle as two males fighting. They usually don't get hurt. Females quickly give way to the males.



Photo of Rufous Hummingbird at feeder
Rufous Hummingbird. Greg Gillson.


What hummingbird fights the most?


In the United States and Canada, the Rufous Hummingbird is the most belligerent and most protective of the hummingbird feeder. They take on all comers.

In the West, Anna's Hummingbirds are resident hummingbirds. So they are at the feeders all year. And they're fairly large. Nevertheless, when the smaller Rufous Hummingbirds arrive in spring, they quickly drive off the Anna's.

Rufous Hummingbirds are fighters!




Looking for a hummingbird feeder? I have personally been enjoying the easy-to-clean More Birds brand hummingbird feeder. There are several sizes. I like the smaller Ruby model (Amazon affiliate link). Thank you for supporting this website with your purchases!



More articles on hummingbirds:

Do you hang hummingbird feeders in sun or shade?

When do you put up hummingbird feeders? When do you take them down?

Why aren't hummingbirds coming to your feeder?

25 Tips on where to hang your hummingbird feeder

Are hummingbird feeders bad for hummingbirds?


Saturday, June 4, 2022

What bird do you hear? Free Bird Sound ID app tells you!

The free Merlin Bird ID app accurately identifies bird songs and calls.


Using this app in the field is like being taught by a birdsong expert!


This free app can identify birds in your yard in several ways: by seeing with photos, hearing with recordings, and reading the digital field guide.


This article tells you how to use Merlin Bird Sound ID to get the best results, regardless of your skill level in identifying bird sounds. Even if you don't know anything about birds or their identification!



What bird sounds like a...?

"I heard this bird...," a non-birding friend will tell me. But often, when pressed, they can't tell me exactly what sound their mystery bird made. Most people haven't learned how to describe bird calls and songs. 

I do my best, but often I can't figure out what bird they heard. I assume it's one of the common birds in the area.

Ten-thousand bird species in the world. All with unique calls. Half with multiple complex learned songs with local dialects. Some mimic other birds or mechanical noises they hear around humans. Learning bird songs and calls is a skill only few birders become good at. Few are the people who can identify more than 200 bird species by call.

Many people try to get Google or Siri to identify a bird they heard. Thus, they ask, What bird sounds like a... Creaking door? Drop of water? Flute? Grasshopper? Horn? Jackhammer? Kitten? Laser gun? Monkey? Phone ringing? Rattlesnake? Screaming woman? Train whistle? Wolf whistle? Xylophone? Zipper?

Until now, I was rarely able to help people identify a bird they heard. But I can now! The free Merlin Bird ID app now identifies bird sounds! It is available for iOS and Android, so works on your smart phone.

Point your phone at the bird sound and press record. The identification is made instantly!



Photo of singing Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Greg Gillson.



Merlin Bird ID app

The Merlin Bird ID app helps you identify birds you describe, photograph, or audio record. You can use your smartphone to take a photo or record sounds for the app to analyze in the field. Or you can use the app to listen to recordings or photographs on other devices.

Merlin is provided free by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Here is the Merlin app official page.


There are 4 choices in the menu:

Explore Birds is the field guide section, with description and photos, range map, abundance bar chart based on your location, and bird sounds you can listen to.

Bird ID is a menu-driven helper that asks you where you saw the bird, when, how big it was, main colors, and behavior. It then gives you a photo list of likely birds to choose from.

Photo ID identifies photos. It allows you to take photos in the field with your phone. It does better at identifying larger images of single birds, such as from the back of your dedicated camera or on your computer screen.

Sound ID is the newest, most exciting, and perhaps most useful, part of the app. The rest of this post is devoted to this one aspect.



Merlin Bird Sound ID

Install the free Merlin Bird ID app from the App Store or Google Play for your device. Download the Bird Packs with the birds of your local region. It works throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. More areas are being developed.

It is super simple to use!

Select Sound ID from the menu. Point the microphone of your phone at the bird and hold still and be quiet. Press record.

A spectrogram scrolls across the top of the screen. As the app identifies birds it hears, they are added to the list under the spectrogram. 

Stop recording and it saves it in My Sound Recordings. You can immediately play it back. As the spectrogram scrolls past the red line, it plays at that point. Stop, back up, go forward, or play only a selected portion.

Here, let me show you. Below is an actual screen capture from my phone. The recording was made June 1st, 2022, at 9:30 am. I was at a wooded pond in western Washington State. The recording lasts 52 seconds.


Screenshot of Merlin Sound ID at work

Screenshot of Merlin Bird Sound ID app at work.


Above: The spectrogram shows that a Common Yellowthroat sings, then a Yellow Warbler. But in the background are faint singing Warbling Vireos, Red-winged Blackbirds, and American Robins! This app accurately identifies them all singing at once!


I recently got a new modern phone with more memory (iPhone 12 with 64 GB). The first app I loaded onto my phone was Merlin Bird ID. The app size is 66 MB. The data size with 2 Bird Packs and 20 recordings of about a minute each in My Sound Recordings is 1.3 GB... and growing. 

To keep my phone's memory storage from being overwhelmed, I send recordings I want to keep to my laptop. I delete recordings on my phone when I am finished.



How accurate is Merlin Sound ID app?

I find the Merlin Sound ID app to be about 90% accurate. That is awful for a self-driving car, but acceptable for identifying bird sounds.

Some birders complain about this level of accuracy. Frankly, I'm amazed the technology can do it at all. It's not accurate all of the time, but neither am I. You need to verify what it tells you. Don't report a rare bird based only on what Merlin identifies. View the bird and take notes or photos. Send the spectrograph as proof of the birdsong.


The app does better at identifying louder bird sounds. It works better in more quiet areas with less ambient noise (planes, rushing water, wind, talking companions, traffic). 

That said, it often identifies birds before I can hear them. It can pick out single birds to identify in the cacophony of bird noises of the dawn chorus.

It does better at identifying faint high-pitched warblers, creepers, flycatchers, bushtits, waxwings, kinglets, chickadees than it does low pitched single notes such as distant crows, ravens, robins, and geese. Or, perhaps I should say, I don't do as well as it does with high-pitched notes. My ears are now more than 60 years old. I'm happy I can still hear those birds when they are close.

Many times, the app identifies a bird I didn't hear. Is it a misidentification? I play the recording back and--sure enough--I can detect it in the recording! Or, I walk on 50 feet and now I can hear it clearly. Many times. I tend to trust it and search for the bird if I didn't hear it at first.

Sometimes it identifies a wrong species when multiple birds are singing at once. It once identified my stomach growling as a Rock Pigeon! But I couldn't fool it with any of my bird imitations that bring real birds to respond to me.

And, of course, it doesn't identify the chirps of squirrels or trills of toads or insects that some people may think are bird calls. It just lets these unidentified sounds go by without comment. So, also, any bird calls not in the currently loaded Bird Pack. It didn't identify a loud repeated "kik-kik" call of Virginia Rail, even though I suspect it would recognize a repeated series of kik calls.

Sometimes, also, it seems slow to identify certain birds or distant birds. But once it does, it is quick to re-identify it when it hears it again on the same recording. It highlights the bird's name again each time it hears it. So you can listen to the birds and watch the app as you both identify the birds together!



Use cases: How to get the most out of Merlin Sound ID

Who is this app for? I really like the Merlin Bird Sound ID app for 3 different use cases, from absolute beginner to birdsong identification expert.

In each case this app identifies bird calls and songs for you. But don't take the results as absolute, as discussed above. It's not 100% accurate. But it is very helpful.

See the 5 tips I have for you below.



Use Case 1: The curious and feeder bird watcher: Identify birds making noise in your yard

For the true beginner, Merlin Bird Sound ID can help identify birds heard at your feeder. Sit near your feeder and turn on the recorder. You'll soon have a list of birds to look up in your field guide or in the app itself.

If you can get to within 20 feet of your feeder, you can use Photo ID and the camera in your cell phone. Zoom in and isolate a single bird on the app. It's not as accurate as I'd like with small photos. But take several shots and see if your bird shows up.

However, the Bird Sound ID works very well on identifying feeder birds based even on the squawks and calls the birds make. Plus, any birds calling or singing in the nearby area will be identified.

What's that bird calling non-stop early in the morning? Press record and you'll know!

Is it a Purple Finch or a House Finch? The app will identify their calls. 

What are those birds singing hidden in the treetops? Soon you will know!

Tip 1: I like sitting in the yard and just turning on the app and seeing just what birds the app can hear. Now, can you verify them with a sighting?

You will be amazed just how many different kinds of birds are in your yard!



Use Case 2: The learning birder: Help to learn bird calls and songs

Once you've been bitten by the bird watching bug, you'll be heading out in the field to find birds away from home. 

You will meet other birders. And you may be amazed and possibly discouraged by some birders that are really good at identifying bird calls.

In the woods I may actually only see 3 or 4 species of the 40 or more bird species I may hear in an hour. But I grew up birding in the forests of Oregon. There I chased down all the bird sounds I heard. When I heard a bird call I didn't recognize, I stayed with it until I found, saw, and identified the bird.

You can do the same, only much more quickly than I did. I birded and learned all by myself. You've got a patient birdsong teacher with you on your phone!

The app is very good at identifying warbler songs and Empid calls. These are very tough ID challenges.

Press record. Watch the app identify heard birds. Look at the spectrogram. You'll soon learn what each bird's song looks like as frequency over time. It has a definite shape. Higher on the graph is higher pitch. Darker is louder. You'll see whistles and trills. You'll see rough notes and noise. You'll learn to hear and see the sliding rising and falling notes.

Record bird song for a minute or two. Look for any birds the app says it hears but you have not identified yet. Move on a hundred feet and try it again. Realize it isn't always 100% accurate, but if it keeps identifying a bird you don't see, it really could be present!

Tip 2: When you play back a recording, I believe it passes through a high-pass filter. It is actually easier to hear the birds by listening to the playback, as the tire road noise and aircraft noises are attenuated. Playback is through the ear speaker, not the speakerphone.

Tip 3: Keep recordings of bird songs you're trying to learn. Listen to them again. Keep any recordings of unusual birds to add to eBird or email to other birders as proof documentation. Delete most recordings so as to not use up your phone memory storage.

Merlin Bird Sound ID will help you more quickly learn to identify birds you hear! It will help you find birds you would have otherwise missed. Learning birdsong will help you see more birds!



Use Case 3: The birdsong expert: Identify and document even more birds!

By now you've got the idea. Just hit record and a list of birds that the app hears will come up.

Why? If you can already identify the common birds you hear, and you chase down anything you don't recognize, why do you need to use Merlin Bird Song ID?

Because soon your hearing will deteriorate. It takes a long time to become expert at identifying birds by ear. While you were becoming an expert, you were also becoming older.

Using Bird Song ID, I found out that I was detecting perhaps only a third of the waxwings that were actually present in the trees above me. And I was missing most of the sounds of Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, Bushtits, and Chestnut-backed Chickadees. Unless they were within 15 feet they are too faint for me to hear anymore.

Did I just hear a Yellow Warbler? Was that a Townsend's Warbler or a Hermit Warbler? And how did I miss that snipe calling constantly? Play back the recordings and you'll be surprised what you missed. Even listening intently, your brain filters out some sounds. 

Keep your bird sound identification skills sharply honed by competing with the app. Can you identify all the birds the app did? What can you hear that the app missed? A distant raven? The "weep" of a Swainson's Thrush? The opening notes of a Song Sparrow song that wasn't finished?

Is that rare bird the app came up with really a misidentification? Are you sure?

Tip 4: On the playback, if you click on the identified bird photo, you'll be taken to the first identification of each species on the recording. Scroll back 2 seconds and then play to listen. Sometimes the app makes a mistake. Other times you may be surprised with a record of a rare bird!

The cell phone is no substitute for dedicated bird recording equipment, such as parabolic microphones. But this app is adequate to document a rare heard-only bird or provide additional proof of a rare bird seen with a recording of its call. The audio files are generally noisy, so if you like recording bird songs, the cell phone is not the equipment of choice.

Tip 5: Learn to use an audio editing tool. I have found that the free Ocenaudio works well. Here is an eBird support page dedicated to preparing your audio file to upload to eBird, in the same way as you can upload photos. 




Need help choosing your first pair of bird watching binoculars?

I have written several articles on choosing binoculars. Let me save you the trouble of reading them all. I really love my Celestron 8x42 Nature DX ED (purchase with this Amazon affiliate link that supports this blog). They sell for well under $200. You won't have buyer's remorse. 




Bird song picture: Sonagram, Sonogram or Spectrogram?

What is that graph called of frequency over time that is a picture of a bird's song?

Sonagram is the term and spelling used in The Singing Life of Birds by Donald Kroodsma. But the Sibley and National Geographic field guides to birds both use the spelling sonogram. And Nathan Pieplow of the Earbirding website, uses spectrogram, which is probably the most accurate word.



Derek, over at Badgerland Birding, recently field tested the Merlin Bird ID app, including the new Sound ID feature. Check out his video here:




Sunday, May 29, 2022

Fabulous Finches of the US (How to Identify, View, Attract)

There are 17 types of wild finches native to North America and continental United States.

An additional 12 rare finches from Europe and Asia have been found a few times in North America.

A total of 29 different kinds of finches have been seen as wild birds in North America, north of Mexico.

Many finches are common backyard birds. They travel in large flocks throughout the year. They are some of the first birds to visit your feeder when you set it up. They often sit on your feeder eating, while other birds carry seeds away to eat them.


  • What, exactly, is a finch? 
  • How are finches different from sparrows and wrens?
  • What do finches look like? 
  • What do finches sound like?
  • What kind of finches are in each state? 
  • Where is the best place in each state to find and view finches?
  • How do you attract finches to your feeder?
  • What other rare finches might you see in North America?


This article answers all these questions!



What is a finch?


Photos of finches in the grass
House Finches and Lawrence's Goldfinches. Greg Gillson.


Finches are small colorful songbirds. 

There are more than 250 species of true finches in the world.

Perhaps the best-known example of a finch is the domestic canary, a common cagebird. Domestic canaries originally came from the wild canaries on the Canary Islands, Azores, and Madeira off North Africa.

In the United States, House Finches are the most widespread and common finch in backyards and feeders. They are found in every major town in the continental United States.

Finches are found throughout most of the world, but not Australia or Antarctica.


As songbirds, finches have both simple calls and complex learned songs. Finches will sometimes mimic other birds and incorporate the songs of other bird species into their own song (source).

Grosbeaks and Rosy-Finches have less complicated songs than the goldfinches and red finches.

Male finches have red, orange, or yellow highlights to a base plumage of brown, gray, black, and white. Females are either duller or are streaked brown.

Finches have short, thick, pointed bills. Their bill shape is described as conical, or cone shaped. They are suitable for cracking open heavy seeds and nuts. Goldfinches have dainty versions of these bills with which they eat thistle seeds and other small seeds.


Finches do not nest in bird houses. They build their own nests out of sticks, usually high in trees. House Finches will build nests on three-sided platforms, wreaths on doors, on top of porch light fixtures, and many other places on buildings.


Scientific taxonomy is complex (and changes frequently). You don't really need to know this information unless you are a biologist or ornithologist. Briefly, true finches are in the family Fringillidae. North American (north of Mexico) finches are all in the subfamily Carduelinae

The 17 finches found regularly in the continental United States are divided into the following genera as follows:

  • Hesperiphona: Evening Grosbeak
  • Pinicola: Pine Grosbeak
  • Leucosticte: Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Black Rosy-Finch, Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
  • Haemorhous: House Finch, Purple Finch, Cassin's Finch
  • Acanthis: Common Redpoll, Hoary Redpoll
  • Loxia: Red Crossbill, Cassia Crossbill, White-winged Crossbill
  • Spinus: American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Pine Siskin


Several rare finches have been recorded in North America. They are listed at the end of the species accounts for the regular finches.


I do not include the Hawaiian Honeycreepers and related birds that were recently included in the Finch family.


The word "finch" is older than the scientific classification method, so there are birds called finches that aren't in the true finch (Fringillidae) family. There are some birds called finches in the families of estrildid finches, old world buntings, new world sparrows, and tanagers.

The differences between these can be confusing. Scientists use DNA to reveal similarities and assign birds to various families of birds. These relationships have changed several times and are likely to again.

So, Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Grosbeaks are in the Finch Family. But Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Blue Grosbeaks are in the Cardinal Family along with some North American Tanagers. See? Confusing!



What is the difference between finches and sparrows?


Finches are easily confused with sparrows. Both are small to medium-sized songbirds with thick conical bills. Both may show up in your yard and feeders where they eat seeds.

There isn't one thing that separates sparrows from finches. Instead, a combination of characters separates them.

These characters should help you identify finches.


In general, here are the differences between finches and sparrows. Compare the same numbers of the two lists that follow:

Finches

  1. Brightly colored males, dull females
  2. Most are not migratory
  3. Not territorial, defend female
  4. Feed nestlings seeds
  5. Most have notched or slightly forked tails
  6. Pointed wings
  7. Rounded head
  8. Often in large flocks throughout year
  9. Feed on seeds in trees
  10. Usually shorter gray legs
  11. When frightened usually fly up into treetops


Sparrows

  1. Males and females with similar subdued colors
  2. Many are migratory
  3. Territorial, defend land
  4. Feed nestlings insects
  5. Various tail shapes, round, square
  6. Most have rounded wings
  7. Many with flat heads
  8. Often solitary pairs; flock only in winter
  9. Feed on seeds and insects on ground
  10. Usually longer pink legs
  11. When frightened often dive into low cover


Here is the same information in table format:


Finches Sparrows
1. Brightly colored males, dull females 1. Males and females with similar subdued colors
2. Most are not migratory 2. Many are migratory
3. Not territorial, defend female 3. Territorial, defend land
4. Feed nestlings seeds 4. Feed nestlings insects
5. Most have notched or slightly forked tails 5. Various tail shapes, round, square
6. Pointed wings 6. Most have rounded wings
7. Rounded head 7. Many with flat heads
8. Often in large flocks throughout year 8. Often solitary pairs; flock only in winter
9. Feed on seeds in trees 9. Feed on seeds and insects on ground
10. Usually shorter gray legs 10. Usually longer pink legs
11. When frightened usually fly up into treetops 11. When frightened often dive into low cover


Those are the typical differences between finches and sparrows. But it seems you can always find an exception.


Photo of a pair of House Finches
Male and female House Finch. Greg Gillson.


The photo above shows the bright red male House Finch and the plain brown striped female. This is typical for finches. Male and female finches are colored very differently. When males and females are different in size or color this is called sexual dimorphism.

On the other hand, it can be hard to tell male from female sparrows


Photo of White-crowned Sparrow on fir branch
White-crowned Sparrow. Greg Gillson.


That is a beautiful White-crowned Sparrow in the photo above. But is it male or female? They look so similar, I can't tell.

And for the exception? It is hard to tell apart male and female Pine Siskins. Some individuals are brighter, some more colorful, but not necessarily based on gender.

[At your feeder you are sure to see House Sparrows. Colored in brown, gray, and black, males and females are different. They are originally from Europe. They are in the Weaver family (or Weaver Finches), not the New World Sparrow family. They are not True Finches. More confusion.]

Finches typically do not migrate. However, northern finches will leave the boreal forests of Canada in winter if the conifer trees fail to produce a good crop of cone seeds. That happens every couple of years. Then, large flocks of northern finches (Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, crossbills) move south. This is called an irruption.

Red Crossbills roam around the country following the ripening pinecones (pine, fir, spruce, hemlock cones). They tend to breed any time of year when they find a good cone crop.

American Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, and Pine Siskins have some parts of their population that moves north in summer and south in winter. But much of the main population in between remains in the same area year-round.



What is the difference between wrens and finches?


At least this is an easier question! Many beginners confuse finches and wrens.

Finches have short thick triangular bills for cracking seeds and nuts. 

Wrens have long thin pointed bills to pry insects from furrows in the bark.



Photo of Bewick's Wren on stump
Bewick's Wren. Greg Gillson.


Male finches are bright, females are dull, often looking quite different. Male and female wrens are very similar in coloration, in various browns and grays.

The tail of finches is rather short and in line with their back. The tail of wrens is usually long and flops around but is often held at a right angle to the back--straight up! The tail of wrens is often barred underneath with black-and-white.

Wrens are shy and solitary. They crawl around tangles and brush piles, close to the ground. Rarely they may come out in the open to eat at your suet feeder. When frightened they dive into dense low cover and hide.

Most finches travel in flocks. When frightened they fly up into treetops where they can keep an eye on you.

These differences will help you separate wrens from finches.



Identification and facts about finches of the United States (North American continent, north of Mexico)


Red Finches and crossbills


North American red finches were recently split or separated by taxonomists from the genus of European rosefinches, Carpodacus.

The 3 species of North American rosefinches are now in their own genus Haemorhous.

This change is due primarily to new research using DNA to ascertain genetic relationships.

It is quite difficult to identify these three finches and tell them apart from each other. But it is possible. Don't give up!


For several years birders and scientists have been debating whether Red Crossbills should be split into at least 10 different species based on their call types. 

It seems that crossbills are nomadic and don't really stick to their territory as much as only stay with others of their call type. When crossbills of different call types mix together, they tend not to interbreed with crossbills that give other calls.

How would bird watching change if species such as these could only be identified by recordings and sonograms? (Seeing Bird Sounds on Donald Kroodsma's website describes sonograms.)

The eBird has a primer on Red Crossbill call types.



Not all red birds are finches. Here's a related article:

What birds have red heads?



House Finch

Haemorhous mexicanus


Photo of male House Finch on a branch
Male House Finch. Greg Gillson.


House Finches are the common resident species of red finch visiting feeders in towns throughout the United States, Mexico, and southernmost Canada.

In the United States, the red finches at your feeder are likely to be House Finches.


Identification: What do House Finches look like?

The key identification features of male House Finches are the heavy stripes on the underparts, and the red brightest on the forehead, chest, and rump.

 

Photo of female House Finch
Female House Finch. Greg Gillson.


The key identification features of female House Finches are the unpatterned face and striped underparts.


Photo of a yellowish male House Finch
Yellowish male House Finch. Greg Gillson.


The red coloration on male House Finches is influenced by carotenoids in their diet. (source)

Often, the color of House Finches tends toward orange, or rarely yellow, as the bird in the photo above.


How do you attract House Finches to your feeder?

House Finches are very easy to attract to your yard and feeder. Attract House Finches with black oil sunflower seeds in a tube or hopper feeder. They prefer black oil sunflower seeds over sunflower seed kernels or striped sunflowers. They will eat fruit and Niger seed.

7 kinds of bird feeders


House Finches on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 146,000 photos. Over 4200 recordings of House Finch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 175 videos of House Finches. (March 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

House Finches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Purple Finch

Haemorhous purpureus


Photo of male Purple Finch
Male Purple Finch. Greg Gillson.


Purple Finches breed in summer in northern mixed and conifer forests, in the West and across Canada and in the Midwest and Northeastern States.

In winter birds in northern Canada move south and can be found throughout the East.

For many people, Purple Finches show up irregularly at feeders in winter and spring. Even where Purple Finches are resident, House Finches are usually more common at feeders in town.


Identification: What do Purple Finches look like?

Male Purple Finches are mottled below, not strongly streaked. The entire upper parts are washed with rose red, including all of the top of the head. The wide pink eye strip wraps around a dark ear covert.


Photo of female Purple Finch
Female Purple Finch. Greg Gillson.


The female Purple Finch is heavily streaked below. However, females are identified by a definite dark ear covert surrounded by a pale eyebrow (supercilium) and pale submoustachial stripe. This is quite different than the unpatterned head of female House Finch.

Males often sing from the tops of the highest forest trees.


How do you attract Purple Finches to your feeder?

Purple Finches eat black oil sunflower seeds from tube or hopper feeders.

Seven kinds of bird feeders


Purple Finches on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 82,000 photos. Over 2600 recordings of Purple Finch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 100 videos of Purple Finches. (March (2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Purple Finches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Cassin's Finch

Haemorhous cassinii


Photo of male Cassin's Finch on stick
Male Cassin's Finch. Greg Gillson.


Cassin's Finches are found in mountains of the West. They breed from southern British Columbia to northern Arizona and New Mexico. Some birds move south in winter into mountains as far as central Mexico. They are found primarily in ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests, often into quaking aspen. 

They are most similar to Purple Finches. However, Cassin's Finches are found in dry mountain pine forests. Purple Finches are found in damper hemlock and fir forests and woods mixed with maples and other deciduous trees.


Identification: What do Cassin's Finches look like?

Besides habitat, these birds are identified by several subtle differences from other red finches. These birds are shaped with a peaked crown. The bill is large with straight top and bottom edges (note the curved culmen of the smaller billed House Finch). The tail is sharply forked.

Males are dusted in delicate pale pink, brightest on the crown. The underparts lack streaks.


Photo of female Cassin's Finch on branch
Female Cassin's Finch. Greg Gillson.


Female Cassin's Finches are similar to female Purple Finches. They have a darker ear patch outlined with wide pale lines on eyebrow and cheek. Streaks below are sharp and thin compared to Purple Finch.

Cassin's Finches come to feeders in those few towns within the ponderosa forest. Look for them at ski resorts and mountain forest campgrounds and recreation areas.


How do you attract Cassin's Finches to your feeder?

If you live among ponderosa or lodgepole pines in the western mountains, you can attract these birds to your hopper feeder with black oil sunflower seeds.


Cassin's Finch on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 18,000 photos. Over 780 recordings of Cassin's Finch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 40 videos of Cassin's Finches. (March 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Cassin's Finches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra


Photo of male Red Crossbill on branch
Male Red Crossbill. Greg Gillson.


Crossbills are found in all types of cone-bearing conifers. However, they are nomadic and follow the ripening cone seed crops. They are usually present in forests from southern Alaska and across Canada, south in mountains of the West through Mexico. 

In winter, during poor local cone crops, Red Crossbills may "irrupt" southward through much of the Unites States seeking other conifer cone seeds.


Identification: What do Red Crossbills look like?

Males are identified by their dull reddish bodies throughout, with dark wings and tail. They have crossed bills, obvious at close range.

Red Crossbills have variation in the size of their bills. Large-billed populations generally feed on large pine cones. Smaller billed populations feed on smaller spruce and hemlock cone seeds.


Photo of flock of Red Crossbills in spruce
Red Crossbills. Greg Gillson.


Females are colored dull yellowish, but they have the typical big head, plump body, and short forked tail.

As mentioned above, there are at least 10 different call types. Each call type corresponds to a population with similar bill size.

Crossbills are usually seen in flocks, sometimes of 100 or more birds, seen flying at tree-top level through the forest. They do descend to the ground on some occasions. The sometimes visit cold fire pits in forest campgrounds.

Because they rely on cone crops, they may breed at any time of year when there is a good crop of cone seeds.


How do you attract Red Crossbills to your feeder?

Red Crossbills generally feed on cones high in the treetops. Thus, they don't usually visit bird feeders so close to the ground. Red Crossbills may visit your birdbath. They may also visit the ground for road salt or gravel.


Red Crossbills on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 48,000 photos. Over 14,000 recordings of Red Crossbill calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 230 videos of Red Crossbills. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Red Crossbills on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Cassia Crossbill

Loxia sinesciuris


These crossbills are found in lodgepole pine forests of South Hills and Albion Mountains in southern Idaho. 


Identification: What do Cassia Crossbills look like?

Males are red and females are yellow, as other crossbills. Identification: Cassia Crossbills are only told from other crossbills by call notes.

These crossbills apparently do not leave this tiny area in Cassia County, Idaho.

They were recently discovered and named. So, you may not find them in your field guides. 


How do you attract Cassia Crossbills to your feeder?

First, you have to live among the lodgepole pines high in the mountains of Cassia County, Idaho. Only there. Even then, both Red Crossbills and Cassia Crossbills occur. Crossbills are more likely to visit your bird bath than feeder.


Cassia Crossbill on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 780 photos. Over 220 recordings of Cassia Crossbill calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. (No videos, yet) of Cassia Crossbill. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Cassia Crossbill on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



White-winged Crossbill

Loxia leucoptera


Photo of White-winged Crossbill on branch
White-winged Crossbill. CC0.


White-winged Crossbills are found in boreal forests across Alaska and Canada, south barely into the northern tier of states in the Northeast, Midwest, and West. They especially like spruce and larch (tamarack) trees.

During winters of poor cone production in the north, they may "irrupt" southward into the northern half of the United States.


Identification: What do White-winged Crossbills look like?

Male White-winged Crossbills are identified by their pink coloration and broad white wing bars on their black wings.

Females are streaked with greenish yellow coloration. They show a white wing patch similar to the male.

Male White-winged Crossbills have rather pink plumage on fresh feathers in the fall. By summer the pale feather tips have worn off. Then the plumage appears darker red.


How do you attract White-winged Crossbills to your feeder?

Only an out-of-place White-winged Crossbill is likely ever to visit a bird feeder. They primarily feed on spruce seeds in northern and high-elevation forests. 


White-winged Crossbill on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 26,500 photos. Over 1300 recordings of White-winged Crossbill calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 100 videos of White-winged Crossbills. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

White-winged Crossbills on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Goldfinches, siskins, and redpolls


These are tiny birds. Lesser Goldfinches are the smallest, some individuals only 3-1/2 inches, bill to tail. The larger redpolls and siskins may be 5-1/2 inches long. That's still tiny!

Goldfinches and siskins have obvious yellow in their plumage. 

Redpolls are named for the red top of the head. Some birds may appear pinkish, but often they are quite pale or whitish.


Not all yellow birds are finches. Here's a related article:

What birds are yellow and black?



American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis


Photo of breeding male American Goldfinch
Breeding male American Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


American Goldfinches are found in scrubby grassland habitats. Overgrown pastures with patches of deciduous trees and thistles are a favorite habitat. They are also found in parks and residential backyards.

They are resident across the northern half of the United States and the West Coast. 

In summer part of the population moves into Canada and the northern Plains States of the US. They then migrate south in winter so that American Goldfinches are found in winter to all the southern States and northern and eastern Mexico.

American Goldfinches are unusual as finches in that they molt twice a year. They have a separate breeding and non-breeding plumage. Other finches typically molt in the fall and don't change appearance, other than getting a fresh set of feathers.


Identification: What do American Goldfinches look like?

Adult males, from April to September are identified by the bright yellow body. They have a black forecrown. The wings and tail are black with white edges. 


Photo of female American Goldfinch
Female American Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


Females are rather dull year-round. In addition, male American Goldfinches from late September to March look quite similar to the bird above.

They are rather gray or brownish, with yellow on the head. The dark gray wings have obvious white wing bars. The key identification mark for separating female and non-breeding male American Goldfinches from Lesser Goldfinches is the white under tail coverts.


Photo of juvenile American Goldfinch on teasel
Juvenile American Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


American Goldfinches lay 2-7 eggs and nest once or twice per season.

In late fall you will find flocks of hundreds of American Goldfinches in weedy fields and road edges. Most of these will be immature birds as pictured above. Young birds keep this plumage until their first spring, March or April.

Juveniles are a pale clay-brown color. They have a hint of yellow on the throat. Wings are black with wide tan wing bars.


How do you attract American Goldfinches to your feeder?

American Goldfinches are attracted to black oil sunflower seeds and Niger seed. They prefer a tube feeder (sometimes also called a finch feeder) which limits some of the other more aggressive species. However, they may also feed under the feeder on small seeds knocked out of the feeder by other birds. They love Niger seeds from thistle socks or metal mesh feeders. They also frequent bird baths.

Seven kinds of bird feeders


American Goldfinch on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 130,000 photos. Over 3500 recordings of American Goldfinch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 225 videos of American Goldfinches. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

American Goldfinches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Lesser Goldfinch

Spinus psaltria


Photo of male Lesser Goldfinch in stream
Male Lesser Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


If you see a bright yellow goldfinch in the winter in the West, it is a Lesser Goldfinch. Unlike American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches keep their bright plumage all year.

They are found in drier habitats, chaparral, oak woodlands, and residential backyards.

They are year-round residents from southwestern Washington State south through California and east across Arizona to Texas and south into northern South America. In summer part of the population moves into the Great Basin--from eastern Oregon to Colorado.


Identification: What do Lesser Goldfinches look like?

Male Lesser Goldfinches are identified by their bright yellow under parts, black cap, black wings and tail with white bars and edges. The back may be green or black, depending upon location. Birds in Texas usually have black backs. Birds in California have green backs. Populations south of central Mexico also have black backs.


Photo of female Lesser Goldfinch
Female/Immature Lesser Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


The photo above is an example of a very dull individual. Most females are quite yellow and yellow-green throughout, with darker wings and white wing bars.

One identification help is that the under tail coverts of Lesser Goldfinches are yellow, while they are white on American Goldfinches.

Lesser Goldfinches often include songs of other birds in their song.


How do you attract Lesser Goldfinches to your feeder?


Lesser Goldfinches are especially attracted to Niger seed in thistle socks or metal mesh finch feeders. They also love black oil sunflower seeds in tube feeders. They come to bird baths. If it's been a while since you mowed the lawn, you may find Lesser Goldfinches feeding on dandelions or other weeds that have gone to seed.

Seven kinds of bird feeders


Lesser Goldfinch on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 58,000 photos. Over 1400 recordings of Lesser Goldfinch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 100 videos of Lesser Goldfinches. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Lesser Goldfinches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Lawrence's Goldfinch

Spinus lawrencei


Photo of male Lawrence's Goldfinch on branch
Male Lawrence's Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


Lawrence's Goldfinches are birds of chaparral and oaks, often near water. In summer they breed in California and Baja California. In winter they are found in southern California and across southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico.

These birds are rather nomadic. They may breed in one location one year and be absent the next. They often follow the flowering of fiddleneck plants (Amsinckia).


Identification: What do Lesser Goldfinches look like?

Males are gray with yellow breast. They have a black face. Wings are dark with broad yellow patches and edges.


Photo of female Lawrence's Goldfinch on ground
Female Lawrence's Goldfinch. Greg Gillson.


Females are gray with yellow wing edges.

Lawrence's Goldfinches are found in flocks in winter. Even in summer, pairs seem to be near others.


How do you attract Lawrence's Goldfinches to your feeder?

Lawrence's Goldfinches live in open oak woodlands and chaparral primarily in California, and then Arizona in winter. A bird bath may be the best way to attract them in these areas. They will eat small weed seeds in your abandoned garden in winter.


Lawrence's Goldfinch on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 13,300 photos. Over 300 recordings of Lawrence's Goldfinch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 35 videos of Lawrence's Goldfinches. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Lawrence's Goldfinches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Pine Siskin

Spinus pinus


Photo of Pine Siskin at feeder
Pine Siskin. Tube feeder. Greg Gillson.


These birds are found in conifer forests with small cones, such as hemlock, larch, spruce. They also like the seeds of alder, birch, and maple trees.

Pine Siskins breed across Canada and southern Alaska south in the West in mountains of central Mexico. In winter they retreat from the north and irregularly may be found across all of the United States, though very rare along the Gulf Coast.

These birds are usually found in large flocks. They often join in flocks of other goldfinches.


Identification: What do Pine Siksins look like?

Siskins are small. and streaked with brown. They show yellow in the wings and tail, most obvious in flight.


Photo of Pine Siskins at birdbath
Pine Siskins. Birdbath. Greg Gillson.


Genders are similar in coloration. Some individuals may be yellower or greener. Some birds are sharply streaked with darker brown; others show less contrast and wider paler streaks.

They have winter irruptions, sometimes far south, in response to the failure of cone production in the north.


How do you attract Pine Siskins to your feeder?

Pine Siskins love Niger seed from thistle feeders or wire mesh finch feeders. They also like black oil sunflower seeds from tube or hopper feeders.

Seven kinds of bird feeders


Pine Siskin on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 87,000 photos. Over 2500 recordings of Pine Siskin calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 100 videos of Pine Siskins. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Pine Siskin on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Common Redpoll

Acanthis Flammea


Photo of Common Redpoll in birch
Common Redpoll. Greg Gillson.


Found in Arctic tundra, birch, and boreal forests. They breed from Alaska, across northern Canada to Greenland. In winter they migrate to southern Canada and barely into the northern United States in most winters. They occasionally irrupt south to mid-latitudes of the US.

Common Redpolls are abundant and one of the birds that nests the farthest north (Snow Bunting probably has the distinction of northernmost breeder in the bird world).


Identification: What do Common Redpolls look like?

These are small birds with small round heads. The tail is short and forked. Males have a black chin and face. They have a red cap on the front of the head. Underparts are white but streaked lightly and also show a pinkish wash across the breast. They have two white wing bars.


Common Redpoll on branch
Common Redpoll. Greg Gillson.


Females are similar to males but a bit more buffy on the chest (lacking red chest) and are more heavily streaked below. 

Look for flocks of these birds swirling around birch tree catkins in the snow.


How do you attract Common Redpolls to your feeder?

Attract this bird to your yard with birch trees. They will visit feeders to eat Niger seed from metal mesh finch feeders. They also eat black oil sunflower seeds from tube or hopper feeders.


Common Redpoll on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 70,000 photos. Over 1100 recordings of Common Redpoll calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 150 videos of Common Redpolls. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Common Redpoll on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Hoary Redpoll

Acanthis hornemanni


There has been a debate among ornithologists for the past several years of whether the Hoary Redpoll is a distinct species. Many feel it is only a pale Common Redpoll.

It isn't an easy problem to resolve, as they breed in remote Arctic tundra. Until there is a scientific study across their breeding grounds, this puzzle won't be solved.


Identification: What do Hoary Redpolls look like?

Hoary Redpolls are very white below, lacking the streaking on sides of the Common Redpoll. But there is quite a range of variation between the two. Only extreme pale birds are definitely identifiable (for now).


How do you attract Hoary Redpolls to your feeder?

These northern birds only rarely visit feeders with other redpolls. They will eat Niger seed and black oil sunflower seeds.


Hoary Redpoll on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 15,000 photos. Over 65 recordings of Hoary Redpoll calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 50 videos of Hoary Redpolls. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Hoary Redpolls on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Grosbeaks


Not all grosbeaks are in the Finch family (Fringillidae). In fact, in the United States only two grosbeaks are finches: Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Grosbeaks.

Most grosbeaks in North America are in the Cardinal family (Cardinalidae).  You may know some of these such as Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Blue Grosbeak.

What's the difference between grosbeaks in the Finch family and grosbeaks in the Cardinal family? Primarily the differences are in the DNA.



Evening Grosbeak

Coccothraustes vespertinus


Photo of male Evening Grosbeak at feeder
Male Evening Grosbeak. Greg Gillson.


Evening Grosbeaks are birds of the northern conifer forests.

They breed and live year-round across mid and southern Canada and barely into the northern tier of states in the US, from Maine to Minnesota. They also breed commonly in mountains of the West, south to northern California and northern Utah. They are scarce breeders from Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, south into Mexico.

They winter in their breeding areas, but irregularly irrupt southward. They regularly reach across the northern United States in winter, but occasionally across all but the immediate Gulf Coast and Southeast coastal area.

Their diet is mostly seeds of conifer trees. They love black oil sunflower seeds at feeders at homes in conifer forests. They also eat the buds of maple trees in spring.


Identification: What do Evening Grosbeaks look like?

Males are yellow, black, and white. The dusky brown head has a bold yellow eyebrow stripe. They show a large patch of white on the wing. This large white trailing patch on the wing also shows as they fly overhead.


Photo of male and female Evening Grosbeaks at feeder
Evening Grosbeaks. Hopper feeder. Greg Gillson.


Females are gray with a bit of yellow on the back of the neck. The wings and tail are black with white edges. The bill is a pale blue-green color.

Even though Evening Grosbeaks are classified well within the songbirds, they actually don't have a learned song. They do have simple descending whistled call notes. There are 5 populations of Evening Grosbeaks, each with unique calls. See Evening Grosbeak Call Types on eBird, for more information.


How do you attract Evening Grosbeaks to your feeder?

Evening Grosbeaks love black oil sunflower seeds. And flocks can consume a lot of seed in a short time! Feed from a hopper or platform feeder.

Seven kinds of bird feeders


Evening Grosbeak on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 52,000 photos. Over 2900 recordings of Evening Grosbeak calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 100 videos of Evening Grosbeaks. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Evening Grosbeak on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Pine Grosbeak

Pinicola enucleator


Photo of male Pine Grosbeak on ground
Immature male Pine Grosbeak. Greg Gillson.


These birds are found in boreal and high mountain forests.

They are found year-round across eastern and northern Canada, Alaska, and the Rocky Mountains from British Columbia to Wyoming. Then they are found in isolated high mountains south to California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

In some winters birds move to southern Canada, the Midwest, and the Northeast. Here they seek out crabapples and mountain ash.

In the West, these birds breed in mountains most commonly from 6000 to 9000 feet elevation.


Identification: What do Pine Grosbeaks look like?

These are fairly large finches. They are almost the size of American Robins. Breeding males are red or pink and gray. They have white wing bars. Immature males have an orange wash on the head and rump.


Photo of female Pine Grosbeak in fruit tree
Female Pine Grosbeak. Greg Gillson.


Female Pine Grosbeaks are gray with yellow head. They have two white wing bars.

Birds form flocks in winter. They are often described as sluggish and tame, feeding in trees often quite close to people without flying away.


How do you attract Pine Grosbeaks to your feeder?

Attract Pine Grosbeaks to your feeder with black oil sunflower seeds using any type of seed feeder. They will also eat suet from a suet feeder.

Seven kinds of bird feeders


Pine Grosbeak on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 37000 photos. Over 900 recordings of Pine Grosbeak calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 90 videos of Pine Grosbeaks. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Pine Grosbeaks on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Rosy-Finches


Rosy-Finches are rather unique among the finches in North America. They nest on rocky cliffs on highest mountains, above the treeline, amid snowfields and talus slopes. 

In winter they often descend to lower elevations and form huge flocks in fields and rural towns.

Four species of Rosy-Finches were combined ("lumped") into one species in 1983. But they were later re-separated after extensive research.


Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte tephrocotis


Photo of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch on rock
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. Public Domain.


They are found on rocky slopes and edges of glaciers on high mountains. Also, some islands in Alaska.

Residents on Aleutian Islands, otherwise year-round residents at edge of glaciers on high mountains from southern British Columbia to northern California. In summer birds breed across Alaska south through British Columbia. But these birds move south and descend to lower elevations in winter. They winter in flocks from the Canadian border south from northeastern California to northern New Mexico.


Identification: What do Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches look like?

Genders are colored similarly. They are warm brown with gray on the head. Some populations have an extensive gray head with black forehead and chin. The wing, tail, and belly feathers are tipped with delicate pink.

These birds tend to be fearless.


How do you attract Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches to your feeder?

If you live in a ski-resort or similar high-elevation community, you can attract Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches by throwing black oil sunflower seed on bare ground or feeding from a platform feeder.


Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 11,000 photos. Over 125 recordings of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 60 videos of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Black Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte atrata


Photo of Black Rosy-Finch on railing
Black Rosy-Finch. Public Domain.


They are found on rocky mountaintops at the edge of glaciers, or even feeding on insects that fall onto the ice. 

They breed above treeline on scattered high mountains within the Great Basin: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, southeastern Oregon, northern Nevada, northern Utah. In winter they descend to nearby areas with bare ground, from southern Montana and southern Idaho to northeastern California to Colorado, barely into northern Arizona and northern New Mexico.

In winter you may find flocks on roadsides or near livestock feeding areas. They do visit feeders.


Identification: What do Black Rosy-Finches look like?

Genders are colored similarly. They are very dark brown, almost black, with gray on the back of the head. Wings and belly are pink.


How do you attract Black Rosy-Finches to your feeder?

Attract Black Rosy-Finches to feeders in high-elevation communities with black oil sunflower seeds or Niger seeds on platform feeders or bare ground.


Black Rosy-Finches on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 4500 photos. Over 40 recordings of Black Rosy-Finch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 30 videos of Black Rosy-Finches. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Black Rosy-Finches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte australis


These birds breed in high mountains on the edge of glaciers and snowfields. They descend into nearby pastures and snow-free plains in winter. They are found only in Colorado and extreme northern New Mexico.


Identification: What do Brown-capped Rosy-Finches look like?

Genders are similar. They are light brown, including the head. The wings and lower belly are tinged with pink.

Their restricted mountaintop breeding range and low numbers mean that these are an endangered species.

Like other rosy-finches, they feed on the ground or even on glaciers for wind-blown seeds and insects.


How do you attract Brown-capped Rosy-Finches to your feeder?

In high-elevation communities in Colorado in winter you may attract Brown-capped Rosy-Finches to your feeder. They eat mixed seeds including white proso millet, black oil sunflower seed, and Niger seed from platform feeders or on the bare ground.

7 kinds of bird feeders


Brown-capped Rosy-Finch on eBird: Maps of actual sightings. Over 3,000 photos. Over 45 recordings of Brown-capped Rosy-Finch calls and songs revealing what they really sound like. Over 9 videos of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches. (April 2022) These are on the Macaulay Library.

Brown-capped Rosy-Finches on All About Birds: An online field guide from TheCornellLab.



Rare Finches in North America


Photo of Brambling in tree
Rare Brambling in Oregon in 2011. Greg Gillson.



There are several other finches from Europe and Asia that sometimes appear as rarities in North America. Zealous bird watchers often go to the islands off Alaska, like Attu, to search for such out-of-place birds. 

But sometimes such finches as these, and others not on this list, are presumed to be escaped cagebirds.


These are birds where at least some records of birds in the United States are thought to be of wild birds (link to page on eBird):

Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) Found in Europe.

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) Found in Europe and Asia.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) Found in Europe and Asia.

Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) Found in Europe and Asia.

Pallas's Rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus) Found in Asia.

Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) Found in Europe and Asia.

Asian Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte arctoa) Found in Asia.

European Greenfinch (Chloris cloris) Found in Eurasia; introduced into Australia, New Zealand, South America.

Oriental Greenfinch (Chloris sinica) Found in Asia.

Yellow-fronted Canary (Crithagra mozambica) Found in Africa; introduced Hawaii, Puerto Rico.

European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) Found in Eurasia; introduced Australia, New Zealand, South America.

Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) Found in Europe and Asia.


Please read the next section to find out if any of these rare birds have been reported in your state!



Finches of Every State and Where to Find and View Them

(Continental United States, excluding Hawaii)


Key to abundance terms

Common: Expected in good numbers; usually require little effort to find.

Uncommon: Expected regularly; may take extra searching to find.

Rare: Expected annually, usually in low numbers; an observer may have to search diligently in correct habitat to find.

Very Rare: Not expected annually, but usually several times per decade; may require several years of diligent search in the correct habitat to find.

Vagrant: Turns up unpredictably; unexpected, averaging well less than once per decade.



Alabama


What finches are in Alabama?

There are 9 types of finches in Alabama. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. Two species are very rare and require extra effort to find. Three species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Alabama (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Alabama, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare in winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Avondale Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon in winter, Palmore Park Swamp, Moss Rock Preserve)

Common Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Talladega NF)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon in winter, Moss Rock Preserve, Talladega NF)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Guntersville Dam)


Red, Orange, & Yellow Birds of Alabama



Alaska


What finches are in Alaska?

There are 20 types of finches in Alaska. Of these, 7 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 8 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Alaska (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Alaska, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (very rare fall to winter, Saint Paul Island)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare fall to spring, Ketchikan (town))

Hawfinch (vagrant)

Common Rosefinch (vagrant)

Pallas's Rosefinch (vagrant)

Pine Grosbeak (uncommon winter, rare spring through fall, Sitka (town), Kincaid Park)

Eurasian Bullfinch (vagrant)

Asian Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (rare year-round, Homer Spit—Lands End)

House Finch (very rare summer, Ketchikan (town))

Purple Finch (very rare year-round, Ketchikan (town), Sitka (town))

Cassin's Finch (very rare late winter and spring, no reliable location)

Oriental Greenfinch (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (uncommon year-round, widespread, Government Hill)

Hoary Redpoll (rare year-round, Westchester Lagoon)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Kodiak Is.--Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park)

White-winged Crossbill (uncommon winter and spring, rare summer and fall, widespread, Spenard Crossing)

Eurasian Siskin (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, widespread, Spenard Crossing, Ketchikan Airport Perimeter (Gravina Island))

American Goldfinch (vagrant)



Arizona


What finches are in Arizona?

There are 15 types of finches in Arizona. Of these, 8 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 4 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Arizona (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Arizona, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (rare spring and fall, very rare summer and winter, Kachina Village--Pumphouse Wash Trail, Jacob Lake Campground)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Black Rosy-Finch (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Desert Botanical Garden, Reid Park)

Purple Finch (very rare winter, Madera Canyon--Mt. Wrightson Picnic Area)

Cassin's Finch (rare fall to spring, Grand Canyon NP--Visitor Center)

Common Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (uncommon summer, rare fall through spring, Jacob Lake Campground, Sunrise Campground)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, Cataract Lake, Grand Canyon NP--Widforss Trail)

Lesser Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Hassayampa River Preserve)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (rare fall through winter, Hassayampa River Preserve, Isabella Lee Natural Preserve)

American Goldfinch (rare fall through spring, Dead Horse Ranch SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Arizona



Arkansas


What finches are in Arkansas?

There are 12 types of finches in Arkansas. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 5 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Arkansas (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Arkansas, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter through spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Two Rivers Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon winter and spring, Two Rivers Park, Wilson Springs Preserve)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare all year, Ozark NF--Falling Water, Hobbs SP-CA--Visitor Center)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, Allsopp Park, John A. and Mildred B. Cooper Nature Preserve)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common all year, widespread, Hobbs SP-CA--Visitor Center)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Arkansas



California


What finches are in California?

There are 20 types of finches in California. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 8 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in California (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of California, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare spring and summer, Shastice Park, Yosemite Falls--Headquarters area)

Hawfinch (vagrant)

Common Rosefinch (vagrant)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare year-round, Page Meadows, Tamarack Sno-Park)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Aspendell, Carson Pass)

Black Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Griffith Park--Old Zoo trails)

Purple Finch (uncommon year-round, Southern Humboldt Community Park, McGill Campground)

Cassin's Finch (uncommon spring through fall, Iris Meadow, Lassen Volcanic NP--Manzanita Lake)

Oriental Greenfinch (vagrant)

Yellow-fronted Canary (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Lassen Volcanic NP--Butte Lake, Van Damme SP--Visitor Center)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

European Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Rio Hondo--Rush St. to Rosemead Blvd.)

Pine Siskin (uncommon winter, rare spring through fall, widespread, Hiller Park and Mad River Bluffs)

Lesser Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Audubon Bobcat Ranch)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (rare spring and summer, very rare fall and winter, Lake Piru, Cibbets Flat Campground)

American Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Sacramento NWR--Auto Route & Visitor Center)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of California



Colorado


What finches are in Colorada?

There are 16 types of finches in Colorado. Of these, 12 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Colorado (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Colorado, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (uncommon year-round, Billy Creek SWA, Chatfield SP)

Pine Grosbeak (rare year-round, State Forest SP--Moose Visitor Center, Grand Mesa--Visitor Center)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (uncommon winter and spring, Wapiti Wildlife Center, Wildernest (community))

Black Rosy-Finch (rare winter and spring, Wapiti Wildlife Center, Wildernest (community))

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (rare year-round, Wapiti Wildlife Center, Wildernest (community))

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Harriman Lake Park)

Purple Finch (very rare winter and spring, South Republican SWA)

Cassin's Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, State Forest SP--Moose Visitor Center)

Common Redpoll (rare in winter, very rare in spring, Lake Estes, Baseline Reservoir)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP--South Rim, Genesee Mountain Park)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare year-round, Grand Mesa--Visitor Center)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, widespread, Hahns Peak Lake)

Lesser Goldfinch (uncommon summer and fall, rare winter through spring, widespread, Cherry Creek Trail)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (very rare summer, no reliable location)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Chatfield SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Colorado



Connecticut


What finches are in Connecticut?

There are 12 types of finches in Connecticut. Of these, 6 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Connecticut (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Connecticut, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare winter through spring, Bluff Point SP, East Street N--Litchfield)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, East Street N--Litchfield)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Earle Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Fisher Meadows Recreation Area)

Common Redpoll (rare winter and early spring, Under Mountain Road--Yale Forest, Nod Brook WMA)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Benedict Pond, Sherwood Island SP)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter, Hammonassett Beach SP)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, widespread, Horsebarn Hill)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Sperry Pond)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Connecticut



Delaware


What finches are in Delaware?

There are 10 types of finches in Delaware. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Delaware (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Delaware, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter through spring, Ashland Nature Center, Cape Henlopen)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Bombay Hook NWR)

Purple Finch (uncommon fall through spring, Middle Run Natural Area, Trap Pond SP)

Common Redpoll (very rare in winter and early spring, Cape Henlopen SP)

Red Crossbill (very rare in winter and early spring, Cape Henlopen SP)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter through spring, Cape Henlopen SP)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, Augustine Wildlife Area, Assawoman Wildlife Area)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Bombay Hook NWR)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Delaware



Florida


What finches are in Florida?

There are 8 types of finches in Florida. Of these, 3 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Florida (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Florida, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter and spring, no reliable location)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Point Ybel Lighthouse Beach, Blue Cypress Park)

Purple Finch (rare winter through spring, San Felasco Hammock Preserve, A.J. Henry Park)

Yellow-fronted Canary (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (very rare fall through spring, Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (uncommon winter through early spring, rare late spring and fall, Maitland Community Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore--Fort Pickens)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Florida



Georgia


What finches are in Georgia?

There are 9 types of finches in Georgia. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Georgia (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Georgia, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter through spring, Fernbank Forest)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Amerson River Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon late fall through spring, Ocmulgee Mounds NHP, Carters Lake--Hidden Pond)

Common Redpoll (very rare late winter through early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Brasstown Bald)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, Garrard Landing Park, Oconee River Greenway)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Zonolite Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Georgia



Idaho


What finches are in Idaho?

There are 16 types of finches in Idaho. Of these, 11 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Idaho (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Idaho, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (uncommon year-round, Sacajawea Center, University of Idaho Botanical Gardens)

Pine Grosbeak (rare year-round, University of Idaho Botanical Gardens, Bogus Basin)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (rare in winter, very rare spring, Triumph, Lucky Peak SP--Discovery Unit)

Black Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Sawtooth Lake, Triumph)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Boise River Greenbelt)

Purple Finch (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Cassin's Finch (uncommon summer, rare winter, widespread, Park Creek Overlook)

Common Redpoll (uncommon winter, Heyburn SP--Rocky Point, Kootenai NWR)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Bogus Basin, Ponderosa SP--North Beach Unit)

Cassia Crossbill (rare summer, Howell Canyon Rd, Diamondfield Jack Campground)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare year-round, Smith Creek Rd)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, widespread, Adams Gulch)

Lesser Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, University of Idaho Hello Walk, Kathryn Albertson Park)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Deer Flat NWR--Visitors Center)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Idaho



Illinois


What finches are in Illinois?

There are 13 types of finches in Illinois. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Illinois (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Illinois, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter through spring, Gillson Park)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, Morton Arboretum)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Hidden Creek Nature Sanctuary)

Purple Finch (uncommon fall through spring, Carpenter-Gurgens Park, Crystal Lake Park)

Common Redpoll (rare winter through early spring, Montrose Harbor, Afton Forest Preserve)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, Chicago Botanic Garden)

Red Crossbill (very rare winter through spring, Greenwood Cemetery, Morton Arboretum)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter, Heritage Oaks Park)

European Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Bowen Park, Waukegan Beach)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall, rare winter and spring, Lake Springfield, Morton Arboretum)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common spring through fall, uncommon winter, widespread, Upper Mississippi River NWR)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Illinois



Indiana


What finches are in Indiana?

There are 12 types of finches in Indiana. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Indiana (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Indiana, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter through spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Daubenspeck Community Nature Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon fall through spring, Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary, Celery Bog Nature Area)

Common Repoll (rare late fall through early spring, Lakefront Park and Sanctuary, Indiana Dunes SP)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Indiana Dunes SP, Ogden Dunes)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter and early spring,Ogden Dunes)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, Indiana Dunes SPOgden Dunes)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Eagle Marsh)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Indiana



Iowa


What finches are in Iowa?

There are 13 types of finches in Iowa. Of these, 6 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Iowa (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Iowa, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare late fall through spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, East River Valley Park)

Purple Finch (rare fall through spring, Hickory Hill Park, Walnut Woods SP)

Common Redpoll (rare fall through winter, George Wyth SPJester Park)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare late fall, very rare year-round, East Lawn Cemetery, Jester Park--Discovery Pond)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through early spring, Hampton Cemetery)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Hartman Reserve, Greenwood-Ashworth Park)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, George Wyth SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Iowa



Kansas


What finches are in Kansas?

There are 11 types of finches in Kansas. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 0 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Kansas (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Kansas, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare fall through spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Big Shunga Park)

Purple Finch (rare late fall through spring, Lake Parsons, Perry Lake)

Cassin's Finch (very rare late fall and winter, no reliable location)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare late fall, very rare year-round, Perry Lake, Cheney SP)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter and spring, no reliable location)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Tuttle Creek Lake, Dyck Arboretum)

Lesser Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Cimarron NG--Cottonwood Picnic Area)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, Kaw River SP, Cheney SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Kansas



Kentucky


What finches are in Kentucky?

There are 10 types of finches in Kentucky. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Kentucky (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Kentucky, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare late fall through spring, no reliable location)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Anchorage Trail)

Purple Finch (rare late fall through spring, Beckley Creek Park, Mammoth Cave NP)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, no reliable location)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter and early spring, Lexington Cemetery)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Natural Bridge SRP, Tom Sawyer SP)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Turkey Run Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Kentucky



Louisiana


What finches are in Louisiana?

There are 8 types of finches in Louisiana. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Louisiana (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Louisiana, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter and spring, no reliable location)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Baton Rouge--University Lakes, Red River NWR)

Purple Finch (rare winter and spring, Cross Lake, City Park--Couturie Forest)

Cassin's Finch (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, Kisatchie NF, Baton Rouge--University Lakes)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common winter through spring, very rare summer and fall, Red River NWR, Lake Fausse Point SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Louisiana



Maine


What finches are in Maine?

There are 13 types of finches in Maine. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Maine (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Maine, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Common Chaffinch (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall through early summer, Collins Pond, Moosehorn NWR)

Pine Grosbeak (rare late fall through winter, Cross Lake, Webster Park)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Essex Woods, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center)

Purple Finch (uncommon year-round, Baxter SP, Fields Pond Nature Center)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through spring, Cross Lake, Foothills Land Conservancy)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare late fall through spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Nesowadnehunk Campground, Kennebago River--Boy Scout Rd)

White-winged Crossbill (rare year-round, Katahdin Woods and Waters NM, Harvester Road)

Eurasian Siskin (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare year-round, Sunkhaze Meadows NWRKatahdin Woods and Waters NM)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Bowdoin Sand Plain)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Maine



Maryland


What finches are in Maryland?

There are 11 types of finches in Maryland. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Maryland (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Maryland, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare fall through spring, Piney Run Park)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Whittier Lake Park)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Terrapin Nature Park. Lilypons Water Gardens)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, Fort Smallwood Park, Assateague SP)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter and early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Prettyboy Reservoir)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Brantwood Park)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Lake Roland, Mullins Park)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Patuxent Research Refuge)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Maryland



Massachusetts


What finches are in Massachusetts?

There are 13 types of finches in Massachusetts. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Massachusetts (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Massachusetts, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Common Chaffinch (vagrant)

Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall and winter, very rare spring through fall, Cass Meadow Conservation Area, Dunback Meadow)

Pine Grosbeak (rare winter, very rare fall and spring, Moran WMA, High Ridge WMA)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Magazine Beach Park)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Post Farm Marsh, Sandy Point State Reservation)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through winter, Pine Cobble School Trail, Halibut Point SP)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer and fall, Montague Sandplains, Salisbury Beach State Reservation)

White-winged Crossbill (rare late fall and winter, very rare spring through fall, Halibut Point SPMontague Sandplains)

European Goldfinch (very rare winter and spring, no reliable location)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, Washington Mtn Marsh, Bald Hill Reservation)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Desert Natural Area)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Massachusetts



Michigan


What finches are in Michigan?

There are 14 types of finches in Michigan. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Michigan (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Michigan, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare year-round, Peshekee Grade, Hartwick Pines SP)

Pine Grosbeak (rare late fall through early spring, Cordwood Point, Holy Cross Cemetery)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, White Birch Park, Huff Park)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Rifle River RA, Presque Isle Park)

Cassin's Finch (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (rare fall through spring, Little Glen Park, Isaacson Bay)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare fall through spring, Island Beach Rd)

Red Crossbill (rare fall, very rare winter through summer, Whitefish Point, Peninsula Point)

White-winged Crossbill (rare fall through winter, very rare spring through summer, Sturgeon River Sloughs WA, Mackinac Island)

European Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Richard Bong SRA, Illinois Beach SP)

Pine Siskin (rare year-round, Presque Isle Park, Buffalo Ridge Trail)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, William Mitchell SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Michigan



Minnesota


What finches are in Minnesota?

There are 13 types of finches in Minnesota. Of these, 10 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Minnesota (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Minnesota, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Sax-Zim Bog, Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve)

Pine Grosbeak (uncommon fall and winter, Norris CampSax-Zim Bog)

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, Hyland Lake Park Reserve)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Gooseberry Falls SP. Northland Arboretum)

Cassin's Finch (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (common winter, rare fall and spring, Sax-Zim Bog, Ten Mile Lake)

Hoary Redpoll (rare winter, very rare fall and spring, Grand Marais, Kabekona Lake)

Red Crossbill (rare fall through winter, very rare spring and summer, Norris Camp, Tomahawk Road)

White-winged Crossbill (rare fall through winter, very rare spring through summer, Big Bog State Recreation Area, Park Point)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Big Bog State Recreation Area, Taconite Harbor)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through fall, uncommon winter through early spring, widespread, Harriet Alexander Nature Center)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Minnesota



Mississippi


What finches are in Mississippi?

There are 7 types of finches in Mississippi. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Mississippi (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Mississippi, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter and spring, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Lefleurs Bluff SP)

Purple Finch (uncommon late fall through early spring, Plymouth Bluff--River Trail, Sardis Lake Waterfowl Refuge)

Red Crossbill (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, Sardis Lake Waterfowl RefugeLefleurs Bluff SP)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common late fall through early spring, rare summer through early fall, Plymouth Bluff Center, Wall Doxey SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Mississippi



Missouri


What finches are in Missouri?

There are 11 types of finches in Missouri. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Missouri (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Missouri, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare late fall through mid-spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Lions Lake)

Purple Finch (uncommon late fall through early spring, Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Engler Park)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Thousand Hills State Park)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through winter, no reliable location)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Montauk SP)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Hi Lonesome Prairie)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Missouri



Montana


What finches are in Montana?

There are 15 types of finches in Montana. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Montana (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Montana, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (uncommon spring and summer, rare fall and winter, Sprunger-Whitney Nature Trail, Sacajawea Center)

Pine Grosbeak (rare summer and winter, very rare fall and spring, Jewell Basin Hawk Watch, Sourdough Nature Trail)

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (rare year-round, Glacier NP--Grinnell Glacier, Bridger Bowl Hawk Watch)

Black Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Silvergate (town))

House Finch (common year-round, Shiloh Conservation Area, Greenough Park)

Purple Finch (very rare year-round, Thompson Falls (town))

Cassin's Finch (uncommon late spring through summer, rare fall through early spring, Greenough Park, Mount Helena City Park)

Common Redpoll (uncommon late fall through early spring, Valley Dr and Merritt Ln, West Valley Ponds)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, West Valley Ponds)

Red Crossbill (uncommon spring and summer, rare fall and winter, Creston Wetland, Lewis & Clark Caverns SP--Greer Gulch)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare year-round, Glacier NP--Swiftcurrent Nature Trail)

Pine Siskin (common summer and early fall, uncommon late fall through spring, Lone Pine SP, Spring Meadow Lake)

Lesser Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Greenough Park)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through early fall, uncommon late fall through early spring, widespread, Chief Joseph Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Montana



Nebraska


What finches are in Nebraska?

There are 15 types of finches in Nebraska. Of these, 7 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Nebraska (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Nebraska, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare winter, Scotts Bluff NM)

Black Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Towl Park)

Purple Finch (rare fall through spring, Ponca SP, DeSoto NWR)

Cassin's Finch (very rare year-round, Wildcat Hills RA)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through early spring, Ponca SP)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Chadron SP, Wildcat Hills SRA)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, no reliable location)

Pine Siskin (uncommon winter, rare late fall and spring, very rare summer, Wildcat Hills SRA, Towl Park)

Lesser Goldfinch (rare summer and fall, very rare spring, Wildcat Hills RA)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Lincoln Saline Wetlands Nature Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Nebraska



Nevada


What finches are in Nevada?

There are 15 types of finches in Nevada. Of these, 10 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Nevada (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Nevada, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare fall through spring. very rare summer, Ranch San Rafael Park, Goshutes Hawkwatch)

Pine Grosbeak (rare summer, very rare fall and spring, Goshutes Hawkwatch)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Spring Creek--Pleasant Valley)

Black Rosy-Finch (rare summer, very rare fall through spring, Spring Creek--Pleasant Valley)

House Finch (common fall through spring, uncommon summer, widespread, Rye Patch Dam)

Purple Finch (rare late fall through winter, very rare spring, Crystal Peak Park, Desert NWR)

Cassin's Finch (uncommon year-round, Bob Scott Campground, Whites Creek Canyon)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, Spring Creek--Pleasant Valley)

Red Crossbill (rare spring through fall, very rare winter, Great Basin NP, Spooner Lake SP)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare year-round, Angel Lake, Jones Creek Loop Trail)

Lesser Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Pahranagat NWR)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (very rare spring through fall, Desert NWR--Corn Creek)

American Goldfinch (uncommon fall through spring, rare summer, Rye Patch Dam, Millers Rest Stop)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Nevada



New Hampshire


What finches are in New Hampshire?

There are 12 types of finches in New Hampshire. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in New Hampshire (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of New Hampshire, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare year-round, Deer Hill WMA, Umbagog NWR)

Pine Grosbeak (rare winter, Deer Mountain SP)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Elm Brook Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon summer through fall, rare winter through spring, widespread, Copps Pond WMA)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through early spring, Pondicherry NWR, Morrills Farm)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter and early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Pondicherry NWR, Tin Mountain Conservation Center)

White-winged Crossbill (rare year-round, Moose Bog, Pinkham Notch)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon spring and fall, rare summer and winter, Silvio O Conte NWR, Horseshoe Pond)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Heads Pond Trail)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of New Hampshire



New Jersey


What finches are in New Jersey?

There are 12 types of finches in New Jersey. Of these, 6 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in New Jersey (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of New Jersey, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall, very rare winter through spring, Garret Mountain Reservation, Cape May Point)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare late fall through winter, Ringwood SP)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Sandy Hook)

Purple Finch (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Black River WMA, Island Beach SP)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, Shark River InletGarret Mountain Reservation)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare winter, very rare spring through fall, Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Double Trouble SP)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Seven Presidents Park, Great Swamp NWR)

European Goldfinch (very rare year-round, no reliable location)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall, rare winter through spring, very rare summer, Wallkill River NWRPennypacker Park)

American Goldfinch (common spring through fall, uncommon winter, widespread, Willowwood Arboretum)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of New Jersey



New Mexico


What finches are in New Mexico?

There are 15 types of finches in New Mexico. Of these, 10 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in New Mexico (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of New Mexico, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (rare year-round, Santa Fe NF--Black Canyon Campground, Carson NF--Apache Creek)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare year-round, Santa Fe Ski AreaCarson NF--Apache Creek)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (rare winter, very rare spring, Taos Ski Valley, Cibola NF--Sandia Crest)

Black Rosy-Finch (rare late fall through early spring, very rare mid-spring, Taos Ski ValleyCibola NF--Sandia Crest)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (rare winter through early spring, Taos Ski ValleyCibola NF--Sandia Crest)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Ojito de San Antonio Open Space)

Purple Finch (very rare late fall and winter, Percha Dam SP)

Cassin's Finch (rare year-round, Cibola NF--Capulin Spring, Rio Fernando Wetlands)

Common Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Cibola NF--Cieniga Canyon Picnic Area, Cherry Creek Campground)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare fall and early winter, Cibola NF--Sandia Crest)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, widespread, Randall Davey Audubon Center)

Lesser Goldfinch (common summer and fall, uncommon winter and spring, widespread, Turtle Bay Park)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (very rare late fall through early spring, San Vicente Cienega Trail, Leasburg Dam SP)

American Goldfinch (uncommon winter through spring, rare summer, widespread, Rio Fernando Wetlands)

 

Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of New Mexico



New York


What finches are in New York?

There are 14 types of finches in New York. Of these, 6 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in New York (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of New York, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer through early fall, Derby Hill Hawk Watch, Franklin Mountain--DOAS Sanctuary)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare late fall through spring, Robert Moses SP, Remmington Recreation Trail)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Mud Creek Environmental Learning Center)

Purple Finch (uncommon late spring through summer, rare fall through early spring, Hanging Bog WMAFranklin Mountain--DOAS Sanctuary)

European Greenfinch (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through early spring, Robert Moses SP, Sandy Pond Outlet)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, Hamlin Beach SP)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Ferd's Bog)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare year-round, Bigelow Rd, Massawepie Mire)

European Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Prospect Park--Prospect Lake)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Paul Smith's College--Visitor Interpretive Center, Rensselaerville SF)

American Goldfinch (common spring through fall, uncommon winter, widespread, Lansing Center Trail)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of New York



North Carolina


What finches are in North Carolina?

There are 10 types of finches in North Carolina. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in North Carolina (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of North Carolina, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare fall through spring, no reliable location)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Yates Mill County Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon late fall through early spring, Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge, Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare summer and fall, very rare winter and spring, Moses H Cone Memorial Park--Bass Lake, Great Smoky Mountains NP--Cades Cove)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, very rare summer, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Blue Ridge Pkwy--Balsam Gap)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common spring through fall, uncommon winter, widespread, Long Creek Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of North Carolina



North Dakota


What finches are in North Dakota?

There are 14 types of finches in North Dakota. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in North Dakota (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of North Dakota, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare late fall through spring, Denbigh Experimental Forest)

Pine Grosbeak (rare late fall through spring, Icelandic SPDenbigh Experimental Forest)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Spring Lake Park, Turtle River SP)

Purple Finch (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Denbigh Experimental Forest, Grand Forks--Sertoma Park)

Cassin's Finch (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (uncommon late fall through early spring, Minot Sewage Lagoons, Kellys Slough NWR)

Hoary Redpoll (rare late fall through early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Denbigh Experimental Forest, Lake Sakakawea SP,)

White-winged Crossbill (rare late fall through winter, TC Nursery, Devils Lake Cemetery)

Pine Siskin (uncommon spring, rare summer through winter, Des Lacs NWR, Bismarck--Tom O'Leary Arboretum)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through early fall, rare winter and early spring, widespread, Minot--Oak Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of North Dakota



Ohio


What finches are in Ohio?

There are 13 types of finches in Ohio. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Ohio (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Ohio, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (very rare fall through spring, Van Buren SP, Mohican SP--Gorge Overlook)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Black Swamp Preserve)

Purple Finch (rare fall through spring, very rare summer, Holden Arboretum, Bluffton University Nature Preserve)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through winter, Lake Erie Bluffs Metropark, Ottawa River Interpretive Trail)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter and early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Huntington Reservation)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Mohican SP--Gorge Overlook)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Pearson Metropark, Secrest Arboretum)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through early fall, uncommon late fall through early spring, widespread, Wolf Run Regional Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Ohio



Oklahoma


What finches are in Oklahoma?

There are 12 types of finches in Oklahoma. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Oklahoma (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Oklahoma, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter and spring, no reliable location)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Arcadia Lake, Mohawk Park--Mary K Oxley Nature Center)

Purple Finch (rare late fall through early spring, Sanborn LakeMohawk Park--Mary K Oxley Nature Center)

Cassin's Finch (very rare fall through spring, Kenton)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare fall through spring, Lake Carl Blackwell)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Pine Siskin (rare fall through spring, Salt Plains NWR, Washita NWR)

Lesser Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Black Mesa SP)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common winter, uncommon spring and fall, rare summer, widespread, Arcadia Lake)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Oklahoma



Oregon


What finches are in Oregon?

There are 17 types of finches in Oregon. Of these, 8 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Oregon (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Oregon, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (uncommon spring, rare summer through winter, widespread, Columbia Botanical Gardens)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare year-round, Road 430, McCully Creek Sno-Park)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Mt Hood--Timberline Lodge, Hale Ridge Rd)

Black Rosy-Finch (very rare summer and fall, Steens Mountain--East Rim)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Shevlin Park)

Purple Finch (uncommon spring and summer, rare fall and winter, EE Wilson WMA, Lower Table Rock)

Cassin's Finch (rare year-round, Metolius Springs, Big Creek Campground)

Oriental Greenfinch (vagrant)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, School Flat Rd)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (uncommon year-round, Salishan Nature Trail, Union Creek Campground)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare fall through early spring, Woodward Campground, Road 430)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, widespread, Whiskey Springs)

Lesser Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, Lower Table Rock, Baskett Slough NWR)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (very rare spring and summer, no reliable location)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through early fall, uncommon late fall through early spring, widespread, Willamette Greenway--Grand Island)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Oregon



Pennsylvania


What finches are in Pennsylvania?

There are 14 types of finches in Pennsylvania. Of these, 6 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 4 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Pennsylvania (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Pennsylvania, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall and early winter, very rare late winter through early fall, Colyer Lake Recreation Area, Buzzard Swamp)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare late fall through winter, Beltzville SP)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Lycoming County Conservation Trail)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Edinboro Lake, Woodburne Forest and Wildlife Preserve)

Common Redpoll (rare winter, very rare spring, Kinzua Bridge SP, Presque Isle SP--Gull Pt)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, Presque Isle SP)

Red Crossbill (very rare fall through spring, Beaver Meadows Recreation Area)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter and spring, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer, Tioga-Hammond Lakes, Lost Creek Shoe Shop)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common spring through fall, uncommon winter, widespread, Warrior Run Wetlands)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Pennsylvania



Rhode Island


What finches are in Rhode Island?

There are 10 types of finches in Rhode Island. Of these, 7 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 2 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Rhode Island (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Rhode Island, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall and early winter, very rare late winter and spring, Norman Bird Sanctuary, George B Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, McIntosh Wildlife Refuge)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Tillinghast Pond, Swan Point Cemetery)

Common Redpoll (rare winter and early spring. Lonsdale Marsh, Sachuest Point NWR)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare late fall and early winter, very rare late winter and spring, Nicholas Farm Management Area, Francis Carter Preserve)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall to early spring, Swan Point Cemetery)

Pine Siskin (uncommon late fall, rare winter and spring, Succotash MarshSwan Point Cemetery)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through early fall, uncommon late fall through early spring, widespread, Blackstone Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Rhode Island



South Carolina


What finches are in South Carolina?

There are 10 types of finches in South Carolina. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 4 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in South Carolina (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of South Carolina, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare winter and spring, Congaree Swamp)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Archers Lake)

Purple Finch (rare late fall through spring, Saluda Shoals Park, Carolina Sandhills NWR)

Common Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Caesars Head State Park)

White-winged Crossbill (vagrant)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, Bunched Arrowhead Heritage PreserveSaluda Shoals Park)

American Goldfinch (common late winter, uncommon spring through early winter, widespread, Conestee Nature Preserve)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of South Carolina



South Dakota


What finches are in South Dakota?

There are 13 types of finches in South Dakota. Of these, 7 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. (None) species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in South Dakota (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of South Dakota, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare fall through spring, DC Booth Fish Hatchery)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare late fall and winter, Richmond Lake SP)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare late fall and winter, Bear Butte SP)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, Wylie Park, Mary Hall Park)

Purple Finch (rare late fall through early spring, Oahe Downstream Rec Area, Richmond Lake SP)

Cassin's Finch (very rare spring through fall, Hell Canyon SP)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through early spring, Richmond Lake SP, Foggy Bottoms)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare late winter and early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (uncommon summer, rare fall through spring, Stockade Lake, DC Booth Fish Hatchery)

White-winged Crossbill (rare winter, very rare late fall, spring and summer, Custer State Park)

Pine Siskin (uncommon late fall through early spring, rare late spring through fall, Richmond Lake SP, Spearfish Canyon)

Lesser Goldfinch (very rare late spring through early fall, Whitney Preserve)

American Goldfinch (common summer and early fall, uncommon late fall through spring, widespread, Oahe Downstream Rec Area)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of South Dakota



Tennessee


What finches are in Tennessee?

There are 11 types of finches in Tennessee. Of these, 4 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Tennessee (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Tennessee, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare late fall through spring, Great Smoky Mountains NP--Cades Cove)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Warner Park Nature Center)

Purple Finch (uncommon winter, rare late fall and early spring, very rare summer and early fall, Overton Park, Cove Lake SP)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Pisgah NF--Carvers Gap)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter, no reliable location)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer and early fall, Shelby Farms, Chester Frost Park)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common late summer and early fall, uncommon late fall through early summer, widespread, Cane Creek Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Tennessee



Texas


What finches are in Texas?

There are 14 types of finches in Texas. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 6 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Texas (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Texas, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (very rare late fall through spring, Guadalupe Mts NP)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (common summer, uncommon fall through spring, widespread, Lost Maples SNA)

Purple Finch (rare winter and early spring, Plano Outdoor Learning Center, Lick Creek Park)

Cassin's Finch (very rare late fall through spring, Davis Mountain SP)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, Guadelupe Mts NP--Pine Springs)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare winter, no reliable location)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (uncommon late winter, rare late fall and spring, very rare summer and early fall, Kickapoo Caverns SP, Lake McClellan)

Lesser Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, Kerr WMA, Jeff Davis County Park)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (very rare fall through spring, no reliable location)

American Goldfinch (common winter, uncommon late fall and early spring, rare mid fall and late spring, very rare summer and early fall, widespread, John Bunker Sands Wetlands Ctr)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Texas

 


Utah


What finches are in Utah?

There are 17 types of finches in Utah. Of these, 10 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 4 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Utah (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Utah, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer and early fall, Lost Creek--Crydon, Boulder Mountain Lodge)

Pine Grosbeak (rare in summer, very rare fall through spring, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Cedar Breaks NM)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (rare winter and early spring, very rare late fall and late spring, Powder Ridge Village, Little Cottonwood Canyon)

Black Rosy-Finch (rare winter and early spring, and late summer, very rare late spring and fall, Gunsight Pass, Powder Ridge Village)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (very rare winter, Pinhook Overlook)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Kaysville Wilderness Park)

Purple Finch (very rare winter, no reliable location)

Cassin's Finch (uncommon late spring and summer, rare fall through early spring, Powder Mountain Ski Resort, Pine Valley Recreation Area)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through spring, Lost Creek--Croydon)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare summer and early fall, very rare late fall through spring, Summit Park, Boulder Mountain)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare spring through early fall, Tony Grove Lake)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, Apsen Grove TH, Boulder Mountain)

Lesser Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Zion NP--Pa'rus Trail)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (uncommon year-round, widespread, Lost Creek Reservoir SP)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Utah



Vermont


What finches are in Vermont?

There are 11 types of finches in Vermont. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 1 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Vermont (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Vermont, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (rare year-round, Victory Basin IBA, Charles Downer SF)

Pine Grosbeak (rare late fall and winter, very rare spring and mid fall, May Pond--Barton, Technology Park)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, widespread, West Rutland Marsh IBA)

Purple Finch (uncommon year-round, East Face, Lefferts Pond)

Common Redpoll (uncommon late fall through early spring, Newport BikepathWest Rutland Marsh IBA)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, no reliable location)

Red Crossbill (rare winter and summer, very rare spring and fall, Shelburne Farms, Moose Bog--Wenlock WMA)

White-winged Crossbill (rare winter and summer, very rare spring and fall, Moose Bog--Wenlock WMA, Mt Mansfield)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer and early fall, Silvio O Conte NWR, Union Village Park)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through early fall, uncommon late fall through late spring, widespread, Mad River Greenway)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Vermont



Virginia


What finches are in Virginia?

There are 12 types of finches in Virginia. Of these, 5 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 4 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Virginia (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Virginia, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall, very rare winter through spring, Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, Burke's Garden--Gose Mill Pond)

Pine Grosbeak (vagrant)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Still Meadows Trail)

Purple Finch (rare fall through spring, Pleasant Grove Park, Warrenton Reservoir)

Common Redpoll (very rare winter and early spring, no reliable location)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (very rare year-round, George Washington NF--High Knob Trail)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through early spring, no reliable location)

European Goldfinch (vagrant)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer through early fall, Briery Branch Gap, Bryan Park)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Coyner Springs Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Virginia



Washington


What finches are in Washington?

There are 15 types of finches in Washington. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 5 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Washington (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Washington, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (very rare winter and early spring, no reliable location)

Evening Grosbeak (rare year-round, Karkeek Park, Little Pend Oreille NWR)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare year-round, Mt Rainier NP--Paradise, Salmo Mountain)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Sibley Pass, Lower Monumental Dam)

House Finch (common year-round, widespread, Peshastin Pinnacles)

Purple Finch (uncommon spring through early fall, rare late fall and winter, Dungeness Recreation Area, Tolmie SP)

Cassin's Finch (rare late spring through early fall, very rare late fall through early spring, Methow Valley, Conboy NWR)

Common Redpoll (rare winter, very rare early spring, Okanogan Highlands, Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, Okanogan Highlands)

Red Crossbill (uncommon late summer and early fall, rare late fall through spring, Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, Conboy NWR)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare year-round, Mt Rainier NP--Sunrise, Okanogan Highlands)

Pine Siskin (uncommon year-round, widespread, Crystal River Ranch Rd)

Lesser Goldfinch (rare year-round, Ridgefield NWR, Hollebeke Habitat Management Unit)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common late spring through summer, uncommon early spring and fall, rare winter, widespread, Cashmere Canyons Preserve)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Washington



West Virginia


What finches are in West Virginia?

There are 10 types of finches in West Virginia. Of these, 6 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 1 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in West Virginia (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of West Virginia, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall through spring, very rare fall, Alpine Lake)

Pine Grosbeak (very rare winter, no reliable location)

House Finch (common winter, uncommon spring through fall, Fayetteville Town Park, Deegan & Hinkle Lakes Park)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Core Arboretum, Cranberry Glades Nature Center)

Common Redpoll (very rare late fall through early spring, no reliable location)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare summer, very rare fall through spring, Cranberry Glades Boardwalk, George Washington NF--High Knob Trail)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare late fall through spring, Coopers Rock SF)

Pine Siskin (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer and early fall, Core Arboretum, Cranberry Glades Botanical Area)

American Goldfinch (common spring through fall, uncommon winter, widespread, Stonewall Jackson Dam Visitor Center)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of West Virginia



Wisconsin


What finches are in Wisconsin?

There are 15 types of finches in Wisconsin. Of these, 9 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 2 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 4 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Wisconsin (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Wisconsin, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Common Chaffinch (vagrant)

Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer through early fall, Prentice Park, Lake Hilbert)

Pine Grosbeak (rare late fall through winter, Prentice Park, Scattered Rice Lake)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (vagrant)

House Finch (uncommon year-round, UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve, Red Arrow Park)

Purple Finch (rare year-round, Little Turtle Flowage, Otter Lake County Park)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall and early winter, and early spring, uncommon late winter, Devils Creek Riverbed, Bark Point)

Hoary Redpoll (very rare winter, Washburn Marina)

Red Crossbill (rare winter and early spring, very rare summer and fall, Brule River SF--Stones Bridge, Sheltered Valley)

White-winged Crossbill (rare late fall and winter, very rare spring through fall, Edith Lake, Bark Point)

European Goldfinch (very rare year-round, Richard Bong SRA Nature Center)

Pine Siskin (uncommon fall through spring, very rare summer, Monk Botanical Garden, Chequamegon NF)

Lesser Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common year-round, widespread, Whitnall Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Wisconsin



Wyoming


What finches are in Wyoming?

There are 17 types of finches in Wyoming. Of these, 11 species are expected regularly and easy to find with little effort. 3 species are very rare and require extra effort to find. 3 species are vagrants and not expected with any regularity.

Where are the best public places to find and view finches in Wyoming (eBird Hotspots)?

Following is a list of the finches of Wyoming, their abundance and seasonal status, and a location or two where you can reliably find them.


Brambling (vagrant)

Evening Grosbeak (rare late fall through spring, very rare summer through early fall, Yellowstone NP--Mammoth Hot Springs, Medicine Bow NF--Battle Creek Campground)

Pine Grosbeak (rare year-round, Grand Teton NP--Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Medicine Bow NF--Brooklyn Lake)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (rare late fall through spring, Baldwin Creek, Yellowstone NP--Phantom Lake)

Black Rosy-Finch (rare year-round, Teton Village Tram, Baldwin Creek)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (very rare year-round, Medicine Bow Peak)

House Finch (common fall through spring, uncommon summer, Cody (town), Lander City Park)

Purple Finch (very rare fall through spring, no reliable location)

Cassin's Finch (rare year-round, Boyd Skinner Town Park, Yellowstone NP--Madison Campground)

Common Redpoll (rare late fall through early spring, Lake De Smet, Yellowstone NP--Mammoth Hot Springs)

Hoary Redpoll (vagrant)

Red Crossbill (rare year-round, Devils Tower, Grand Teton NP--Two Ocean Lake)

White-winged Crossbill (very rare year-round Yellowstone NP--Mammoth Hot Springs, Mountain View Cemetery)

Pine Siskin (uncommon spring through fall, rare winter, CCC Ponds, Clear Creek Trail)

Lesser Goldfinch (rare late spring through early fall, very rare winter and early spring, Ayres Natural Bridge Park, Laramie River Greenbelt Trail)

Lawrence's Goldfinch (vagrant)

American Goldfinch (common summer and early fall, uncommon late fall through spring, Kleenburn Recreation Area, Lander City Park)


Red, Orange, and Yellow Birds of Wyoming


Legal disclosure

As an Amazon Associate I earn commissions from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

Featured Post

Best budget birding binoculars: Celestron Nature DX ED

My review: Celestron Nature DX ED binoculars for birding Is the Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 binocular any good for bird watching? My perso...