House Finches are common backyard feeders found across the US and are often confused with the Purple Finch. They look quite similar, with males exhibiting red feathering over their heads and breasts and brown and white striping through their bellies, backs, and tails, and females with brown and white striping all over their bodies,
they are different species. House Finches are not native, rather they were introduced in the 1940s when a small group was released by some pet store owners in New York who were trying to illegally sell them as cage birds. Since then, they have become one of the most common backyard feeders in the US. They prefer traveling in flocks and will often visit feeders in medium to large groups. They are very chatty birds and can often be heard chirping to each other around feeders and in shrubs and trees. They are not migrators so they can be seen all year. Breeding pairs will have 2-4 clutches per year and build tightly woven nests in a variety of protected spaces (e.g., cavity, thicket, etc.).
