Birdsong field guide
Purple Finch
Haemorhous purpureus
A medium-sized finch of the north woods, the male is noted for its wine-red wash and melodic, warbling song.
What it sounds like
A rich, fast, rising and falling musical warble; the flight call is a sharp, metallic 'pik'.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- Roger Tory Peterson famously described the male as a 'sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.'
- They are often outcompeted and displaced at feeders by the similar-looking, introduced House Finch.
- Purple Finches are irruptive migrants, moving south in large numbers when northern coniferous cone crops fail.
- Females are distinguished by their heavy brown streaking and a bold white line above the eye.
- Their powerful, notched beaks are specialized for crushing seeds and extracting nutrients from buds.
Habitat
Coniferous and mixed forests, forest edges, and suburban backyards with feeders.
Range
Breeds across Canada and the northeastern US; winters throughout much of the continental United States.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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