It’s in Your Nature: All about finches

We can normally see three members of the finch family in our area. They are the American goldfinch, the house finch and the purple finch. The latter does not breed here but wanders south into our area to overwinter.

The goldfinch is common in summer, and if you grow sunflowers, you have probably enjoyed their vivid yellow plumage as you watched them devour the ripening seeds.

They also prefer native plants in the thistle family and can be seen feasting on them as well. In fact, the goldfinch is our latest breeding bird because it waits for the thistles to bloom and ripen and then uses the thistle down to line its nest. Because it waits so long, it only has one nest each season.

After the breeding season, these finches lose their yellow feathers and will be identified with a drab, greenish color but retaining the dark wings. If these are at your feeder, you can enjoy the gradual change from that drab look to the breeding plumage.

The goldfinch lays four eggs, and after hatching, they remain in the nest about 19 days. The young also have the drab, juvenile coloration. The male young in spring will then acquire the bright yellow feathers as well.

A relative newcomer to our area is the house finch. They were native to the West Coast but were brought to New York City in the late ’30s in an attempt to sell them as caged pets. They were released in Long Island in 1940 and eventually spread westward and now live throughout the entire U.S. I never saw them at my feeders until about 1970.

The house finch is probably the most common bird at your feeders in winter or summer. They often nest on your porches or maybe in your hanging planters there. I have found them to be one of the most destructive bird species. They feed only on plants (quite unusual for birds) and that is where the problem arises.

If you grow any fruit trees or grapes, these birds are scourges. In spring, they eat the opening fruit blossoms, making them unable to bloom. In late summer as the remaining fruit ripens, they descend on your trees. They peck holes in the ripening fruit, ruining it. If you have a vineyard, they enjoy the ripening grapes and destroy a large amount of that crop as well.

The house finch does have two nests each season and their population more than doubles. On the brighter side, they do have a pleasing song and will serenade you much of the summer. The males have reddish to sometimes a “slightly orange hue.” The female lacks that reddish pigment.

The other finch you may encounter regularly is the purple finch. To the novice birder, it can be confused with the house finch. I see purple finches usually for about four to six weeks each spring as they migrate north. They love black oil sunflower seeds.

Note that the male purple finch is a bit chunkier, has a larger bill, and has a reddish/purple coloration on most of its body.

In your birding trips in spring, also look for them eating the blossoms of aspens.

Some winters you may see two other finch species: the pine siskin and common redpolls.

Siskins will find your thistle feeders and feast there for weeks sometimes. This winter, keep your eyes open for all five of these finch species.

Test your knowledge: The older (maturing) birders like me may remember a very large finch gobbling up your sunflower seeds. (1970s) The ________ is seldom seen in Pennsylvania anymore. A. Evening grosbeak, B. Raven, C. Savannah sparrow, D. House sparrow

Last Week’s trivia answer: Close to 98 percent of our cave hibernating bats have disappeared because of white nose syndrome. How will this affect us? I guess time will tell …

Contact Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com.