Birdsong field guide
Cassin's Finch
Haemorhous cassinii
A stocky, high-altitude finch of western North America, distinguished by its peaked crown and the male's vibrant raspberry-red cap.
What it sounds like
A rapid, varied series of warbles and whistles; the diagnostic flight call is a dry, husky, two- or three-syllable 'tid-lip' or 'chi-dip'.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- The male’s bright red crown feathers are often raised into a distinct peak, a key field mark separating it from the House Finch and Purple Finch.
- They primarily inhabit high-elevation coniferous forests, frequently breeding at altitudes exceeding 10,000 feet in the subalpine zone.
- Known to be skilled vocal mimics, often incorporating the calls of other species like nuthatches and bluebirds into their own complex songs.
- They exhibit irruptive winter migration patterns, moving to lower elevations or further south in large numbers depending on conifer seed crops.
- Named in honor of John Cassin, a prominent 19th-century American ornithologist and curator at the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Habitat
High-elevation coniferous forests, particularly those dominated by ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir.
Range
Western North America, from southern British Columbia through the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada to northern Mexico.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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