# Purple Finch (*Haemorhous purpureus*) The Purple Finch is a small, colorful bird with a sweet song. They have bright purple-red feathers and love to eat seeds and berries. You can often find them in gardens and forests. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 15 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Carpodacus purpureus ![Purple Finch](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424602/objects/3635.jpg) ## Appearance The Purple Finch is a stocky bird, with males displaying a stunning raspberry-red head and breast that fades to a streaky brownish-red back. Females are conspicuously streaky brown and white, featuring a strong pattern on their underparts and a prominent white line over the eye, lacking any red. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Fringillidae - **Genus:** Haemorhous ## Interesting facts - A group of finches is playfully called a "charm"—what a charming fact to discover! - Male finches get their beautiful red color from pigments in the berries and seeds they eat! - They're sometimes called "raspberry finches" because of their unique rosy hue, not true purple. - Unlike many birds, Purple Finches prefer to build their nests high up in conifer trees. ## Special abilities - **Seed Cracker:** Purple Finches have a powerful, conical beak that helps them crack open tough seeds and consume a variety of plant materials. - **Melody Maker:** Purple Finches can sing a rich, warbling song, a cheerful whistle used to attract mates and defend their territory. - **Migratory Mapper:** Purple Finches possess excellent navigational abilities that help them migrate long distances between breeding and wintering grounds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 22-26 cm - **Weight:** 0.018-0.032 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-7 - **Incubation:** 12-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding These finches primarily munch on seeds and fruits, but also enjoy tasty buds and small insects to stay healthy. - **Primary Foods:** conifer seeds, maple seeds, sunflower seeds, berries, tree buds, small caterpillars - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A common bird of prey that hunts Purple Finches. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Domestic cats are significant predators of small birds. - **Depends on:** [White Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-spruce) (*Picea glauca*) — Provides nesting sites and a source of nutritious seeds. - **Depends on:** [Eastern White Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — An important source of seeds and protective shelter. ## 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. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [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. - [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 Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Purple 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 Purple Finch? 12-16 cm ### What is Purple Finch's wingspan? 22-26 cm ### How much does Purple Finch weigh? 0.018-0.032 kg ### How long does Purple Finch live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Purple Finch move? 45 km/h ### What does Purple Finch eat? These finches primarily munch on seeds and fruits, but also enjoy tasty buds and small insects to stay healthy. ### Where is Purple Finch usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Blake Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blake-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Hedgesville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hedgesville-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Nichols Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nichols-arboretum) — Michigan, US · Botanical Garden - [Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/red-hill-patrick-henry-national-memorial) — Virginia, US · National Park - [Wildwood Preserve Metropark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildwood-preserve-metropark) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Purple Finch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/purple-finch) ## Watch - [Play video: Purple Finch](https://www.snappit.app/videos/purple-finch) - [YouTube](https://www.snappit.app/rendering) ## 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: [Purple Finch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/purple-finch)