I suppose my back yard is the Mecca for house finches. They are at my feeders throughout the day, every day, spring, summer, fall and winter. They never fly off for vacations. They stay planted in my yard. Late this summer, I assume right after several families hatched, we had 30 or more finches at a time fighting for a spot on my sunflower heart feeder. The little rascals also love to take baths in our bubbling birdbath. They flit from the feeder to the bath and back again. When it rains, they seek refuge on our windowsills.
House finches are not particularly attractive birds. The females are a rather “Plain Jane” variety. The finch hens are a dull brown with a streaked white chest. The males have a little color with an orange-red face, chest and rear end. The males have brown markings behind their eyes and dark wings streaked in white. Because of the hint of red on a male house finch, some confuse them with purple finches. But a purple finch has a much deeper shade of red on his head and back and also has a little topknot, like a titmouse.
House finches generally have two broods per year with 4 to 5 eggs per nest. Like a wren, finches will often nest in a hanging flowerpot. The little fellows occasionally have outbreaks of a disease that affects the eye and makes the birds blind, and they ultimately perish, but, fortunately, I have seen no signs of that affliction this year. Their little eyes are wide open – the better to find seeds with.
Finches are not native to Virginia, or even the east coast. They were introduced to New York back in the 1940’s and have since prospered on this side of the Mississippi. Male finches have loud, cheerful voices and they serenade us quite often. Their evening songs make buying those 10 pound bags of sunflower hearts all worthwhile.