The color of the male Purple Finch has been described as looking as if it was held by its legs and dipped in a dish of mashed strawberries. The first year male looks like the female which is basically a bird very heavily streaked with brownish-grey and white and a pronounced white eyebrow (supercilium). Its size varies from 5.25 to 6.25 inches. It has a conical grey bill, fashioned for seed eating, the upper ridge (the culmen) of which is straight. It has a clearly notched tail which helps distinguish it from the Housefinch. Its lifespan is approximately 10 years.

Experts divide Purple finches into two subspecies. There is an eastern branch which is found generally east of the Rockies, and a western branch found along the Pacific coast.

The range of this species extends from southern Alaska to Newfoundland in the north to the southerly Appalachians in the east and the southerly Cascades in the west. It extends into northern Mexico in winter in the south.

In Michigan, its breeding range has remained much as described by Barrows in 1912. At that time its range was indicated as extending from the UP throughout Northern Lower Michigan southward to an east west line at the Grand and Saginaw rivers. It is found from time to time in bog-like wet-conifer habitats more southerly.

Purple Finches prefer conifer habitats when breeding. Toward the end of a horizontal branch of a conifer from 12-20 feet above the ground is most often their nesting point of choice. They are often found in bogs, and in stands of conifers or deciduous- conifer mixes associated with wetlands or along coastline of lake and riverine habitats. To a lesser extent they nest in the conifers of hedgerows, ornamental evergreen and pine plantations, parks. suburbia, and agricultural areas.

Some claim that the bird with the longest song is the Winter Wren. Nevertheless, there are times when it seems that songs of Purple Finches are of comparable length. The song of the Purple Finch is not likely confused with that of the winter wren because the song of a winter wren is sung at a pronouncedly higher frequency and is much less melodic.

One must listen closely, however, to distinguish the song of the Purple Finch from the song of the Warbling Vireo and the House Finch. If one is uncertain when hearing a bird song as to the species of origin, a consideration of habitat may prove helpful. Purple Finches in Michigan are not often observed in urbanized areas whereas House Finch are. Warbling Vireos are found primarily in deciduous habitats and rarely, if ever, nest in conifers.

Courting males have been observed to hop about with dangling wings which they then vibrate while vocalizing with a cocked tail and possibly rising 6-12 inches off the ground as they proffer nesting material to a prospective mate.

Nests are constructed of twigs, grasses, moss, fine roots, and hair woven into a shallow cup. Clutch size averages about 4 eggs. Incubation takes 13 days followed by 14 days to fledge. It is an uncommon cowbird host.

The diet of Purple Finches is composed of seeds and buds in winter with blossoms added in spring followed by insects and then fruit in summer. The young eat primarily seeds.

Fall migration for this species occurs from late August through October. Spring migration is from late February into May. Though considered a common breeder and migrant in northern Michigan its appearance in winter is sporadic and inconsistent.

Leonard Graf’s publication entitled “Birds of Leelanau County and Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore” describes this species as an uncommon year round resident and confirmed breeder of Leelanau County with likely observation locales of Lighthouse Point for migrants and Good Harbor Bay for nesting birds.

Though not necessarily in decline in Michigan, Purple Finch numbers have declined noticeably in places in the east of the U.S. This decline is attributed to competition with House Finches and House Sparrows.

~bob c.