All About The Common House Finch
Garden tip from Judy Wigand Photography by Bob Wigand
Judy Wigand is a garden expert who once operated Judy’s Perennials in San Marcos, lectured on gardens, and wrote for a number of local and national publications. Now a home gardener, she and photographer/husband, Bob, make a great team, scouting and photographing gardens for publication.
All About The Common House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
House finches are common year-round resident birds once found only in the western United States but now also prominent from coast to coast. They live in a wide range of habitats including deserts, open woodlands and shrubby fields, in urban and suburban areas.
Look for these songbirds as they travel in flocks and perch among trees in urban backyards and parks. You’ll hear them singing in high, throaty warbles or calling to each other in sharp, raspy cheeps.
They have short, stout beaks but may be difficult to spot because they are tiny (only about 5- to 6-inches long). Looking for the vibrant red surrounding the male’s face and upper breast may help you catch a peek. As often is the case in the animal kingdom, females are plainer and the female house finch is no exception with its plain, gray-brown coloring.
They feed on seeds, insects and fruits. You can attract them to your yard by filling your feeder with wild birdseed or their favorite: black-oil sunflower seed.
