# Cassin's Finch (*Haemorhous cassinii*) Cassin's Finch is a small, colorful bird that loves to sing! They have bright red heads and are often found in trees and shrubs, making their homes in beautiful places. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests and shrublands ![Cassin's Finch](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cassin's_Finch_%28female%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: http://www.naturespicsonline.com/, Copyrighted free use · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cassin's_Finch_%28female%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Cassin's Finch has a robust, streaky brown body with a slightly peaked head. Males are distinctive with a bright rose-red crown, which is less extensive than the House Finch. Females lack red and are streaky brownish-gray, differing from the Purple Finch by having finer streaking and a more defined facial pattern. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Fringillidae - **Genus:** Haemorhous ## Interesting facts - Cassin's Finches sometimes hang upside down to pick seeds directly from pine cones! - Male finches perform a special 'song flight' display to impress females during mating season! - They often drink water from melting snow patches, even in chilly weather! - Young Cassin's Finches are fed a diet rich in insects by their parents when they are tiny. ## Special abilities - **Seed Cracker Beak:** Cassin's Finch has a strong, cone-shaped beak that helps them crack open tough conifer seeds with ease. - **Mountain Dweller:** Cassin's Finch can live in high-altitude mountain forests because they are adapted to cooler temperatures. - **Melodious Songster:** Cassin's Finch can produce a beautiful, warbling song to attract mates and claim their territory. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 14-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 24-28 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.027 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-6 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 500 km ## Diet & Feeding Mainly seeds and tree buds, but also enjoys berries and a few insects. - **Age differences:** Young are primarily fed soft seeds and insects by their parents. - **Primary Foods:** Conifer seeds, Tree buds, Berries, Dandelion seeds, Small insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Feeds on the seeds from the cones of this common pine tree. - **Eats:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Extracts seeds from the cones of Douglas-fir trees in its habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — Predatory hawks like the Cooper's Hawk hunt finches in their forest habitat. - **Shelter:** [Engelmann Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/engelmann-spruce) (*Picea engelmannii*) — Builds its cup-shaped nests high in the branches of spruce trees. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cassin's Finch? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Cassin's Finch? 14-16 cm ### What is Cassin's Finch's wingspan? 24-28 cm ### How much does Cassin's Finch weigh? 0.02-0.027 kg ### How long does Cassin's Finch live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Cassin's Finch move? 45 km/h ### What does Cassin's Finch eat? Mainly seeds and tree buds, but also enjoys berries and a few insects. ### Where is Cassin's Finch usually found? Forests and shrublands ## Where to spot - [Lehman Orchard and Aqueduct](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lehman-orchard-and-aqueduct) — Nevada, US · Historic District - [Anarchist Protected Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anarchist-protected-area) — British Columbia, CA · Nature Reserve - [Shady Rest Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shady-rest-park) — California, US · Park [View all places to see Cassin's Finch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cassins-finch) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Cassin's Finch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cassins-finch)