House Finch Identification

Adult male

Small finch with a conical seed-eating bill. Like other finches, it has a notched tail. Adult males are rosy red around the face and upper breast, with a streaky brown back, belly, and tail.

Female/immature

Small finch with a conical bill and notched tail. Females/immature males are brown overall with blurry streaks down the belly.

Adult male

Note very thick bill with curved rather than straight-edged profile. Red on head is largely on the eyebrow and throat, with brownish cheeks. Flanks are boldly streaked.

Adult male

Adult males are rosy red around the face and upper breast, with a streaks down the belly and on the flanks.

Female/immature

Females/immature males are brown overall with heavily streaked underparts.

Females/immatures and males

Often numerous at feeders, especially where black oil sunflower is offered. Tends to sit at feeder and crack seeds in its stout bill instead of flying away.

Adult male

Plumage color varies with diet. The more carotenoid rich foods they eat, the redder they become.

Adult male

Plumage coloration ranges from yellow to bright red depending on the amount of carotenoid rich foods they eat; the more carotenoids in food the brighter red they become.

Female/immature

Note plain mostly brown face pattern without pale stripes; also the notched tail. May be found in small flocks.

Male and female

Breeding pair bonds usually form in winter flocks.

Adult male

Small finch with a conical bill that it uses to crack open seeds.

Adult male

Susceptible to House Finch eye disease, an illness that gives them swollen eyes and leaves them lethargic. If sick birds are seen around feeders, remove feeders and clean with diluted bleach solution to reduce spread.

Female/immature

Females/immature males are brown overall with blurry streaking on the back and belly.

Juvenile

Female/immature

Note blurry brown streaks on the flanks.

Adult male

In the western U.S., you’ll find House Finches in their native habitats of deserts, grassland, chaparral, and open woods as well as city parks, backyards, urban centers, farms, and forest edges across the continent.