Red Finch

Quick Take

• Female red finches have a surprisingly specific checklist when choosing a mate, and that checklist has nothing to do with personality. Explore mating preferences →
• Hanging a bird feeder for red finches sounds harmless, though most backyard birders don't anticipate a certain consequence that comes with it. See feeder behavior →
• The male's vivid red plumage looks like a liability, and when it comes to predators, it actually is one. See predator risks →
• Red finches have been spotted attempting to use a feeder designed for a completely different bird, and the behavior makes more sense than you would think. Discover unusual feeding habits →

Red finches are birds that live throughout the United States and down into Mexico. These tiny birds have a beautiful song full of trills, chirps, and rolling warbles. The male red finch is notable for the bright red feathers on its head and breast. Red finches are herbivorous birds, eating seeds, grain, flowers, berries, and buds. Red finches can live to be around 11 years old, but their average lifespan is 4 to 5 years.

5 Incredible Red Finch Facts

• Red finches are birds that live in shrublands, forests, and deserts, as well as in suburban areas.
• Once one red finch discovers an appealing bird feeder, it’s likely to bring dozens of feathered friends back to feed.
• A male finch feeds his mate during the breeding season.
• These finches can have 3-6 eggs per clutch.
• Red finches defend their flock by sending an alert call if a predator enters the area.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name of this finch is Haemorhous mexicanus. Haem is the Greek word for blood (red), referring to the male’s color. Mexicanus refers to Mexico. These finches live in the United States and Mexico. Another name, used interchangeably for this bird, is the house finch.

Evolution And Origin

House finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) are native to North America and are part of the true finch family (Fringillidae). Their closest relatives are other North American finches, such as the purple finch and Cassin’s finch.

Appearance And Behavior

Male house finches have bright red feathers on their heads and breasts. They have light brown and black stripes on their wings and tail. Alternatively, a female house finch has a light brown head, a white breast with brown spots, and black stripes on her wings.

Both male and female house finches have a cone-shaped beak perfect for eating seeds and berries. They have two dark eyes as well as small dark legs and feet.

These finches are tiny birds, measuring 5.5 inches in length and weighing from 0.67 to 0.78 ounces. As an example, if you lined up two and a half golf tees end to end, they would be equal in length to a red finch. A red finch weighing 0.78 ounces is equal in weight to a mouse. The heaviest a red finch can be is 0.78 ounces — still less than one full ounce.

The main defense the house finch has against its many predators is its coloration. It can blend in with the trees and dry vegetation in its environment. As you may have guessed, a female’s brown and black feathers allow her to blend in better than a male with bright red feathers. House finches can also fly fast, so they do have some chance of getting away from predators.

House finches are social birds that form male-female pairs and live alongside other red finches in the same area. Sometimes they form flocks of up to 100 birds. They use their unique song to communicate with one another over long distances.

Because of their small size and vulnerability, these birds try to avoid both people and other animals. You may spot them in your neighborhood, but it’s rare for them to allow someone to come close to them.

Habitat

These songbirds live throughout the United States, in southern Canada, and in Mexico. They live in temperate to warm climates. The finches that live in northern regions such as the northeastern United States and around the Great Lakes migrate south before winter arrives.

These birds make nests in all sorts of places. They may create a nest on a rock ledge, in a tree, in dense bushes, or even in a hanging planter outside a home. They spend a lot of time perched on the very tops of trees. If a homeowner hangs a wooden finch house in a tree on their property, there is a good chance they will move into it.

There are a few things a red finch looks for in a birdhouse. For one, they will not nest in a birdhouse that is too close to human activity. They need a clear escape route before settling into any birdhouse. It’s best to hang the birdhouse away from the main house. Also, the birdhouse should be high enough to prevent access by cats or dogs.

A birdhouse for the house finch must have proper ventilation and drainage. The nest should stay dry at all times. Some homeowners have pairs of house finches that return to their homemade birdhouses every year — a pleasure to witness each spring.

Diet

What do red finches eat?

These finches are herbivores, eating seeds, fruit, flowers, and buds. They even include nectar in their diet. In fact, some homeowners with hummingbird feeders hung in the yard have observed red finches trying to drink from them!

Their cone-shaped beak is ideal for consuming small seeds and eating fruit. These birds are a common sight at backyard bird feeders. They enjoy sunflower seeds, thistle, and white proso millet in their seed mixture.

Predators And Threats

Red finches are very small birds, so it’s not surprising that they have a long list of predators. Some of those include domestic cats, skunks, raccoons, blue jays, snakes, and rats. Not only do these animals attack adult finches, but they also steal eggs or hatchlings from the nest.

Humans pose several threats to red finches, including habitat loss, window collisions, and the spread of diseases such as Mycoplasma gallisepticum, in addition to the historical threat of capture for the pet trade. Despite this, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species categorizes the red finch as Least Concern. Its population is increasing.

These birds are vulnerable to certain parasites known as Plasmodium relictum and Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

Reproduction And Life Cycle

House finch breeding pairs are established during the winter season. To attract a female, a male finch flutters his wings, takes off, and lands on a perch while tweeting a calling song. When he pairs with a female, he will feed her as another sign of his devotion. Interestingly, researchers have found that female house finches prefer to mate with the reddest males they can find. They may believe that the most colorful male will help them produce healthy offspring. In general, house finches are monogamous.

The breeding season for these birds goes from March to August. The finches build a nest made of grass, twigs, scraps of paper, and any other small pieces of material. Some breeding pairs of finches return to the same nest they used the previous spring.

Red finches can have up to 6 clutches of eggs per breeding season. These birds have 3 to 6 eggs per clutch. Each egg weighs just 2 grams. The incubation period ranges from 12 to 17 days. The male finch brings food to the female while she sits on the eggs. The eggs of a red finch are pale blue with small black spots.

After the eggs hatch, the female and male bring the babies, or hatchlings, food. The newborn hatchlings are featherless, and their eyes are closed. In addition, they cannot swallow solid food, so the parents feed them regurgitated food they can digest. Their eyes open at around 6 days old, by which time they are also developing a thin layer of feathers.

The young finches, or fledglings, become independent and leave the nest at about 12 to 19 days old. By that time, the female red finch is already building a new nest for her next clutch of eggs, or has already laid them.

The lifespan of a red finch, on average, is 4 to 5 years. Like many other types of birds, they are vulnerable to respiratory ailments as they age. Some common ailments include Aspergillus, Avian pox, and Mycoplasma.

Population

There are an estimated 267 million to 1.7 billion red finches in North America. The conservation status of red finches is Least Concern. This bird’s population is listed as increasing.