Description: The male
Purple finch resembles a sparrow dipped
in cranberry juice. It has a rose-colored
body with a white abdomen. Its wings and
back are brownish. The purple finch has
a short, but thick conical bill used for
cracking seeds. Female Purple Finches are
mostly brown, with two conspicuous white
stripes through each side of the head.
The underparts are white with brown streaks.
The Purple Finch reaches a length of about
six inches. Immature Birds look identical
to the female.
Diet: The
Purple Finch eats seeds, buds, flowers,
nectar, blossoms and occasionally insects.
Range: The
Purple Finch breeds throughout central
and southern Canada south through New England
and into the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia.
It also breeds in northern Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, and the eastern Dakotas, and
along the entire Pacific Coast of the United
States. The Purple Finch winters throughout
the eastern and midwestern United States
as well as along the Pacific Coast.
Habitat: The
Purple Finch breeds on cool coniferous
forests, but may turn up in orchards, deciduous
woodlands, and suburban yards.
Nesting: The
female lays 2-7 eggs, usually on the outer
branches of a conifer.
Status: The
Purple Finch is thought to be a species
in decline, especially in eastern portions
of its range. The expanding population
of the similar House Finch is thought to
be a factor in this decline. |