The Ultimate Guide Of House Finch Including Male Vs. Female Comparison

Do you want to get to know the friendly feathered neighbors of the bird world? Then you should know about the House Finch.

These friendly creatures have made our backyards and cities into their homes and will let you look at them from up close.

They are the sweet musicians of the avian world who fill the air with their cheerful and bubbly tunes while brightening up your day. Their sweet songs come as a live announcement from spring.

Watching them grow and make their home will give you a front-row seat experience of nature’s adaptation and resilience.

Having them in your backyard will give you the ticket to their daily shenanigans. They may seem simple, but they are full of surprises that can bring a touch of magic to your everyday life.

Let’s start our journey into getting to know our best kind of birdy neighbors.

House Finch: How to Identify?

Source: @dr_tirzo

• Scientific Name: Haemorhous mexicanus
• Size: 12.5 to 15 cm (5 to 6 in)
• Wingspan: 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in)
• Body Mass: 16 to 27 g (0.56 to 0.93 oz)
• Wing Chord: 7 to 8.4 cm (2.8 to 3.3 in)
• Tail: 5.7 to 6.5 cm (2.3 to 2.5in)
• Culmen: 0.9 to 1.1 cm (0.4 to 0.7 in)
• Tarsus: 1.6 to 1.8 cm (0.6 to 1.1 in)

Depending on the distribution and habitat of the House Finch, their appearance can vary. This species has almost 11 subspecies with different variations in their looks.

From their body and bill size to tail length, almost every visual aspect can vary regionally. For example, the House Finch species inhabiting Guadalupe Island off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, have more sturdy-looking bills than that of the mainland species.

Moreover, the eastern part of the finches have longer and pointier wings than the western ones. It is more suitable for the species living in those parts for their migration.

Size And Shape

House Finches are relatively small-sized species with fairly large and stocky bills. Their heads are long and flat-looking. They have small wings, but their tails are long and squared-off in comparison.

Adult Color Pattern

House Finches are sexually dimorphic species. However, regardless of their gender, the color of the adults’ bodies is a shade of dark brown to light brown all across the back.

The wings have streaked patterns and usually possess greyish shading. The breasts, belly feathers, and flanks are typically streaked.

House Finch Male Vs. Female Comparison: How To Tell Them Apart Visually?

Despite being sexually dimorphic, the sizes of both male and female House Finches are similar.

Both of them have similar bill shape and color. The shape of the tails and wing bars are identical as well. The legs and feet of both sexes have similar dull colors on them.

Male House Finch

Source: @aves_en_oaxaca

The adult male House Finches have rounded bodies with eye-catching rosy red plumage on their heads, throats, shoulders, and chest.

The backs, undersides, and tails, however, are grey to brown colored with streaks all over them.

Sometimes, this bright red color runs through the back of the bird and extends toward the belly and in between the wings.

The intensity of the red color in males varies according to seasonal changes and depends on the pigments from its diet, especially fruits and berries.

The more carotenoids their dietary items have, the more intense color they will possess.

Consequently, the colors can range from dull yellow to vivid orange to deep, crimson red.

Female House Finch

Source: @swanlakenature

The female House Finches are relatively slender-bodied with inconspicuous coloration on their bodies.

They do not possess even an ounce of red color on their plumage but rather have a brown color all over the upper part of their bodies. The underparts are usually heavily streaked.

Male Vs. Female Comparison At A Glance

Here is a quick and simple table that will help you compare and quickly grasp the characteristics of a male and female House Finch.

Where To Find Them?

Source: @andygon.25

Typically, these birds do not migrate that much and are permanent residents through western North America, except for some northern and eastern species. Moreover, some species have been introduced to the regions of Hawaii.

The breeding habitat of this species is urban and suburban areas, including city parks, backyards, urban centers, farms, and forest edges.

They also prefer the semi-open areas of southern Canada to the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

The current species living in central Chiapas are thought to be the descendants of the caged birds of the 1940s.

House Finch: Dietary Preferences

Source: @springspreserve

House Finches are predominantly strictly herbivorous species, with almost 97% of their year-round diet being different types of plant matter.

Even most seed lovers will feed on insects during spring to switch up their dietary requirements and protein intake.

However, in the case of this species, it is pretty rare. From time to time, they might feed on small insects such as aphids.

The primary sources of food for this species include grains, buds, foliage, seeds, and berries. It exhibits a strong preference for various types of weed seeds, such as nettle and dandelion.

Moreover, they frequently consume their food from bird feeders and hanging Nyjer sock feeders, especially if they contain sunflower or Nyjer seeds.

Their love for different types of seeds and grains makes them frequent visitors to fruit orchards, where they feed on commercially grown seeds.

But their visits are considered as a mere annoyance rather than attacks from pests.

Nestling Dietary Preference

Most vegetarian birds tend to at least feed their younglings insects or bugs to ensure their protein intake and safe growth.

However, the fun fact about the parent House Finches’ exclusively vegetarian-based diet is that they will not even feed their nestlings these insects.

They might occasionally feed them fly larvae for an early protein boost, but that’s all there is to it. Their most preferred food as a youngling is dandelion seeds.

What Are The Methods Of Communication?

House Finches do not have that many variations in their songs and calls. Usually, their songs are categorized into two types- one with buzzy syllables and the other without one. The songs that do not have this buzzy tone are sung all year round.

On the contrary, the buzzy songs are usually heard during the breeding season. Both males and females make these types of songs and calls. However, the females have relatively fewer variations.

The males sing their songs all year round that sound like long, warbling noises with short notes. These songs usually last for about 3 seconds, and they have an upward or downward slur-like ending.

The females, on the other hand, have a short and simple version of this song that is typically heard during the start of the breeding season.

They prefer singing with their mating partner, especially during the courtship feeding. But from time to time, they will sing in solitary.

Both sexes make a “cheeep” like note as their call. This call is one of their most common ones, which can be heard even during their flight or perching. When they flush from the ground, they tend to produce a sharper version of this call.

Breeding Behavior

Source: @uccalnat

• Mating System: Monogamous
• Breeding Season: Between March and August

House Finch starts forming its pair in winter and prefers staying socially monogamous throughout their breeding season.

The males tend to perform different types of courtship displays. One of them includes the males touching the bills with the females.

From time to time, they also bring bits and pieces of food to the females. The females show their acceptance by mimicking a hungry chick.

The males then proceed to feed them. They will feed their female partners during breeding and incubation as well.

The males also perform a courtship display known as “butterfly flight.” During this display, they ascend 20 to 30 m upward and then glide slowly while singing continuously, singing.

The females tend to go for the males with the most dazzling red colors as it is an indication of being properly fed. As a result, these males will be capable of finding more food for them.

What Are Their Nesting Facts?

Source: @uwimageproductions

The House Finches might have the word “house” in it. But they don’t necessarily live in birdhouses. Usually, they nest in different kinds of cavities that are convenient for them, such as openings in buildings, hanging plants, and other cup-shaped outdoor decorations.

Sometimes, they even inhabit the abandoned nests of other species, as well as re-use their already-built nest for the upcoming years.

The females are solely responsible for the construction of these nests, which can often take as little as 2 days. The cup-shaped nests are usually made of twigs and debris.

Hatching & Fledging

The females lay their eggs during February to August. Their usual egg-laying period is during the day, and they tend to lay one egg each day.

After the hatching is complete, the mother removes the eggshells from the nest. Then, the females feed the younglings with the occasional help of the males.

The younglings are born with pink fluffy feathers and closed eyes. They can not make a sound till they reach at least 8 days of age. Then, they make a soft peeping noise when they get fed.

The nestlings fledge at about 11 to 19 days of age, and while learning to fly, they climb onto the plants near them for support.

Let’s take a quick look at some basic nesting facts:

Life Span

• Status: Least Concern
• Average Lifespan (in the wilderness): 11 years and 7 months

House Finches are one of the most widespread and commonly spotted species around their range. Their total population number is estimated to be almost 267 million to 1.7 billion.

The Finch species can live up to 15 to 20 years with sufficient food and appropriate weather conditions. However, in general, this species usually lives from 5 to 10 years of age.

In the case of the House Finch, the oldest living age of this species was 11 years and 7 months in the wilderness. Nonetheless, it is estimated that typically, their lifespan is relatively shorter than that.

Everything About Their Behavior & Adaptation

Being strictly vegetarian and small-sized might indicate their peace-loving nature to some people. However, the House Finches are definitely not the pushover in the avian world and will claim their territory with proper aggressiveness.

They act more hostile around their foraging and nesting sites. Their hostile behavior becomes prominent at bird feeders.

They are the only known species that goes out of their way to fight the House Sparrows for their overly possessive territorial nature.

As a result, if their distribution somehow overlaps, the number of the House Sparrows drops.

They are invasive species that usually stay active during the day. They tend to maintain small groups or flocks even while nesting.

House Finches have a certain hierarchical position in these flocks, where the females tend to show their dominance over the males.

In terms of adaptation, the House Finches are somewhat adapted to winter weather and can handle coldness to a certain extent.

When the temperature drops, some species tend to migrate to warmer regions. The permanent residents, however, go through the cold weather from the warmth of something on their bodies. The sunshine-colored feathers come in handy in this case.

Predators Of House Finch

Being a small-sized bird, the House Finch gets preyed on by different kinds of species. The different kinds of predators are mentioned below:

• The adults usually get preyed on by domestic cats, Cooper’s hawks, and sharp-shinned hawks.
• The nests and unborn nestlings get attacked by blue jays, common grackles, common crows, fox squirrels, rats, skunks, raccoons, and household cats.
• In addition to these predators, they even have to deal with parasites, including Plasmodium relictum and Mycoplasma gallisepticum.
• The mite Pellonyssus reedi and Brown-headed cowbird are brooding parasites that often lay their eggs on the House Finch’s nest. However, most of the time, the Brown-headed Cowbird nestling can not survive because of their difference in dietary preferences. The mite infestation usually attacks the male nestlings, which is why the females tend to lay the female eggs first to ensure the survival of both sexes.
• They also have their own eye disease, known as House Finch eye disease, which is a bacterial illness that caused a huge decline in the species of this population. It was first identified during the winter of 1994 in Washington D.C and spread content-wide. Due to this infection, the birds often lost their eyesight, and became disoriented, making them vulnerable to their predators.

House Finch Similar Species

Several different species from diverse families and orders have developed looks that are strikingly similar to penguins. Let us investigate these astonishing examples of evolution!

Purple Finch

Source: @teachertombirds

• Scientific Name: Haemorhous purpureus

For breeding habitat, the Purple Finch prefers the coniferous and mixed forests of the northern United States, southern Canada, and the west coast of North America.

Similarities 

Both the House Finch and the Purple Finches belong to the same scientific family and genus, consecutively the Fringillidae and the Haemorhous. They are both small songbirds that have roughly the same size ranges.

Their overall body shape looks almost identical as well. The vibrancy might be different, but they have the same reddish hue near their face.

They also possess the same kind of sexual dimorphism, where the males have red hues on their faces, and the females are brown.

Both species have compact, stocky build bodies with short legs and conical beaks that help them with their dietary requirements.

Differences 

The shades of the plumage colors are different. In addition, the bill colors, wing bars, and even the shape of the tails are different. The House Finch inhabits both urban and suburban areas, while the Purple Finch prefers more forested distribution.

House Sparrow

Source: @stella_lio_wildlife

• Scientific Name: Passer domesticus

The House Sparrow is one of the most widespread species that are commonly found in most parts of the world. They can live in both urban and rural settings and fearlessly wander around human habitation.

Similarities 

Both House Sparrows and House Finches have distinctive sexual dimorphism. Consequently, the female House Finch looks almost identical to that of the female House Sparrows. In addition, their size ranges are quite similar.

Both females have similar brown and black patterns on their bodies with short and pointy conical bills. Moreover, both species have thin, long legs and coal-black eyes.

They eat the same thing. So, their natural habitat and foraging habitat are similar. So, it becomes harder to tell them apart with their overlapping distribution.

Differences 

The male House Finch and the male House Sparrow have completely contrasting colors on their bodies. Moreover, their facial features and tail shapes are different as well. They have different vocalizations, which helps them distinguish between these species easily.

Pine Siskin

Source: @isaacagrant

• Scientific Name: Spinus pinus

The Pine Siskin is known for its migratory pattern through the extreme sporadic winter ranges. There are several reasons behind their migration, especially the proper source of food supply.

Similarities 

Both House Finches and Pine Siskins are similar in size. These songbird species possess identical-looking conical beaks. Moreover, their distribution might be different. But they prefer similar habitats.

The most striking resemblance can be found between the female House Finch and the Pine Siskin. They both have brown bodies with dark patterns all over them.

Differences 

The male Pine Siskin and House Finches have a contrasting appearance. The facial features and tail shapes are different. Moreover, their bill shape and vocalizations vary as well.

Song Sparrow

Source: @morenowildlifephotography

• Scientific Name: Melospiza melodia

The Song Sparrow is one of the most adaptable, abundant, and variable species in North America. It has a rivalry with other variable species that goes on a global scale. It is one of the most polytypic species in its range.

Similarities 

The female House Finch looks most close to that of the Song Sparrows. Both have almost identical brown colors and dark patterns on their bodies.

Apart from that, in general, both species have similar size ranges and their habitats can often overlap.

Differences 

The plumage colors between the males are strictly contrasting. The bill and tail shapes are different as well. Moreover, they have distinctive facial features and vocalizations that help the bird-enthusiasts identify them.

Fascinating Facts About House Finch

One of the most fascinating facts about the House Finch is their origin. Originally, they were endemic to the Western United States and Mexico.

In 1940, there was an attempt to sell them as caged birds marketed as “Hollywood Finches.” However, as this attempt failed due to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 in Long Island, New York, they were set loose on that range.

Consequently, they started spreading across nearly all of the eastern United States and southern Canada, including the unforested, dry areas in the next 50 years.

Another fun fact about this species is that it can adapt itself to inhabit dry habitats. However, they would still need a lot of water to survive.

Sometimes, they even consume water more than their original body weight.

FAQ

In this part of the article, you will find answers to the frequently asked questions that bird enthusiasts and readers often have on their minds about the House Finch.

The answers are short and precise and would help you to revise all you know about House Finches.

Q: Are House Finches considered pests?

Ans: Yes, but only sometimes. If a House Finch nests in inconvenient locations around your home, such as vents or ledges, they can become a nuisance.

Q: Are House Finches protected by law?

Ans: YES, they are! The House Finches are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States. It means that without permits, you can not harm or possess them.

Parting Thoughts

House Finches introduce you to the urban wildlife experience as they have adapted to being in close proximity to humans. They make studying wildlife creatures easier than ever.

The presence of so many of these species only helps demonstrate nature’s diversified habitats and their critical role in maintaining them.

The best thing about this species is that observing them will bring a calming and therapeutic effect to our lives. They help us connect with nature, reduce our everyday stress, and find tiny moments of tranquility.

So, let’s pause for a moment to express our gratitude for these birds and the happiness they bring. Through our efforts to safeguard them, we can contribute to the ongoing presence of House Finch, ensuring they continue to bring brightness to our days in the years ahead.