Purple Finch

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Purple Finch

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Carpodacus
Species: C. purpureus
Binomial name
Carpodacus purpureus
(Gmelin, 1789)

The Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureus, is a small finch of the Rosefinch genus.

Adults have a short forked brown tail and brown wings and are about 4 inches in length . Adult males are raspberry red on the head, breast, back and rump; their back is streaked. Adult females have light brown upperparts and white underparts with dark brown streaks throughout; they have a white line on the face above the eye.

Their breeding habitat is coniferous and mixed forest in Canada and the northeastern United States, as well as various wooded areas along the U.S. Pacific coast. They nest on a horizontal branch or in a fork of a tree.

Birds from northern Canada migrate to the southern United States; other birds are permanent residents.

These birds forage in trees and bushes, sometimes in ground vegetation. They mainly eat seeds, berries and insects. They are fond of sunflower seeds, millet,and thistle.

This bird has been displaced from some habitat by House Sparrows and then the introduction of House Finches in the east. Purple Finches resemble the House Finch but the House Finch is a darker red color.

This is the state bird of New Hampshire.

[edit] Interesting Purple Finch Fact

  • One nest is used for many generations.
  • The Purple Finch population has declined sharply in the East due to the House Finch. Most of the time, when these two species collide, the House Finch wins over the Purple Finch.
  • There are two subspecies of the Purple Finch. One is found in the Pacific Coast while the other is found in the East. The Pacific Coast Purple Finch is more common and has duller colors.
  • The Purple Finch has been New Hampshire's State Bird since 1957.

[edit] References

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