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Bob Moul | profile | all galleries >> WILD BIRDS >> PURPLE FINCH vs HOUSE FINCH tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

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PURPLE FINCH vs HOUSE FINCH

Often folks will ask how to tell the Purple Finch from the House Finch. This ID can be troubling but I think
once you have seen the two and have the opportunity to compare them, it is quite easy to tell them apart.
The most obvious field mark is the bill. The bill of the Purple Finch is conical shaped
whereas the upper mandible of the House Finch is curved downward.
Note the bold brown and white pattern on the head of the female Purple finch as opposed to the more
plain head of the female House Finch. The male Purple Finch has a rosy overall color with much less
streaking on the flanks than the male House Finch. I have posted photos of the sexes of both species here.
They are not as difficult as you may think.

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House Finch-Female
House Finch-Female		 House Finch - Female
House Finch - Female		 House Finch - Male
House Finch - Male		 House Finch-Male
House Finch-Male
Purple Finch-Female
Purple Finch-Female		 Purple Finch-Female
Purple Finch-Female		 Purple Finch-Male
Purple Finch-Male		 Purple Finch-Male
Purple Finch-Male

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Guest 05-Apr-2019 02:07
We’ve had house finches raise families in nests built in both corners of the awning over our front steps for a number of years. At our backyard bird feeder however, we’ve been mystified about the small birds with red heads and couldn’t identify them. These photos solve that mystery. They’re male house finches. Thank you!
Guest 29-Jul-2017 12:56
I thought the male house finches at our feeders were so handsome they needed a classier name. Found out later they used to be called Hollywood finches. There you go.
Guest 09-May-2017 00:38
we feed the purple (red) finches all winter. They are beautiful.
Guest 24-Feb-2017 22:53
The pictures are so good. I also notice the underside of the Purple Finch-Male has white feathers which helps ID which is which. Thank you.
Guest 03-Feb-2017 18:30
Now I now that I don't just have house finches coming to my feeders but both house finch and purple finch. Thank you.
Karen 22-Jan-2017 19:03
Great clarification. Both species come to my feeders. Now I can tell the difference.Thank you.
Guest 05-Jan-2017 17:44
I'm glad to see this. I didn't know, just knew they had red on them..so I have house finch with red...thanks
Guest 10-Jun-2016 17:16
I thought I had purple finch, but now I see they are house finch. Lovely, and a joy to watch. Thanks for the tutorial!
Guest 19-Mar-2016 19:40
Your photos were extremely helpful. Now I know I have a pair of house finches nesting on the 19 floor balcony of my condo.
Lianne 12-Jun-2015 16:03
Would a house finch come to a oriole feeder? Eating jelly, oranges and sugar water?
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Jessica Perry 14-May-2015 17:12
Super helpful! A picture is worth 1000 words! (But your description about the bills, really did help to)!
Brenda Miller 14-Apr-2015 18:34
I have been seeing what i think are purple finches at my feeders in South eastern ohio, I have gotten some really great pictures of them. I have really gotten into bird watching, the last few years
kr 11-Dec-2014 19:23
Thank you so much....trying to identify these little birdies has been driving me crazy! Of course they are not at my feeder right now, so I anxiously await their return!!
Wayne Baker 23-Feb-2014 19:20
I also say thanks! Thought I was looking at a purple finch couple here in Eastern North Carolina, but after looking at these great photos and the bill comparisons I am sure that they are house finches instead.
Pauline Bonin 10-Feb-2014 14:22
I saw a finch with red/purple on it's chest but not easy to tell if it were a house finch or a purple finch. The beaks are thick on the purple finches. It didn't stay long at the feed for me to get a good look at. Also seeing different birds coming to the kitchen window bird feeder. Brown headed cow birds, yellow bellied sap sucker and robins in the berry bushes and cardinals and blue jays and sparrows and tit mice, nut hatches and chickadees. We have a variety of birds here at our feeders. We live in RI
lynn 11-Jul-2013 01:56
We had the same mistake until we compared your pics...we have a male house finch.
we are located in Cloyne Ontario Canada
Guest 15-Feb-2013 14:45
Even Cornell's pics couldn't help with determining whether my long-term pair were Purples or House because of their lack of female pics- but the pronounced "eyebrows" on your female pics made all the difference! She's quite unafraid and has been nesting in my blue spruce for a few years now- and so I was close enough to see close up for myself. Nice to know!!
Kristy from Troy, MI 14-Aug-2012 17:23
Thank you for this! For the first time in the 6 years we've lived at this house, a house finch showed up yesterday. I had no idea what it was. I wasn't expecting it to be a "finch" because it wasn't eating from the finch feeder...it was over with the sparrows enjoying the regular seeds and nuts. Now I know!
DR-T 16-Jun-2012 21:49
I have a nesting pair of house finches on my front door (tucked neatly and discreetly behind the dried flower arrangement in a basket!). This morning I opened the door just as the sun was rising (about 5:20 am here in Virginia): mama finch flew up from the basket, startling BOTH of us, and when I peeked into the nest there was one beautiful little egg! Last year I had baby wrens hatched in s nest built in the same basket...it feels like a blessing on the house to have them so close. "Ms. Denise-the Bird Lady of Ravenwood Park"
Bill 10-Jun-2012 17:59
Do purple finches and house finches co-habitate in the same area? Not sure if you will be able to follow this link but if I understand your identification tips, I think there are both in this album.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151001732919534.482723.624649533&type=1
GW-Michigan 19-May-2012 20:11
Thank you for this informative web-site. Love the finches! I'm pretty sure we have both types at our feeder!
pc 04-Aug-2011 23:03
Adding my thanks for the photos & descriptions. Thought we might have purple finches, but from this, pretty sure they're house finches. First year I've seen them at our feeder. Lovely!
jc 14-May-2011 15:13
After looking at many comparisons of these two, I was glad to arrive here for straightforward information. The bill difference that you mentioned was the best indicator, so I now know I have house finches at my feeder. In my bird book, the bills are drawn identically (both curved downward) but I can see the difference in your pictures. I see also from your photos that the purple finch seems to have a bit of a crest or rounder head-top than the house finch. Many thanks :)
mj 28-Apr-2010 18:27
Thanks for the pictures to compare the two, was always wondering what the difference was!
Right now we have two purple finches we believe, that are leucistic and melanistic, they are gorgeous! we weren't sure what they were until we asked around, they are bright white all over, with just black tips on their wings, and a light sheer pink colour over their head and down their back, really stunning!
Laura 24-Apr-2010 20:39
Thanks for the great photos. I've been getting some of these at my feeder this spring, and now that I see side-by-side pics, it is definitely the house finches that I'm seeing. The body shape or silhouette is what I notice right away is different. The purple finch is a little chubbier-looking. Now if only some goldfinches would show up...
Mark 19-Mar-2010 17:47
I just ID'd a couple of purple finches. I now usually notice the female, who is much different than a female house finch (darker markings w/ more contrast). Then I watch more closely for males. The bill difference is great, but what I see is a more pinkish/purplish color on the male, and the lack of markings on it's breast, as they don't start showing up until near his legs.
Linda 16-Mar-2010 17:23
Ocala FL. I have a pair of House Finches that are insisting on building a nest in our garage. Very insistant, not afraid of us, keeping door closed. Several of them in the area. Thanks for the GRAT photos! Linda
Guest 05-Jan-2010 22:15
Thank you,from Orlando, Fl. My book on birds says they are not in this state but for the past week, I have been watching one at the feeder and after viewing the pictures I believe it to be the house finch.
cheryl 04-Jun-2009 08:25
i have been looking at those two type birds for weeks ...thought i could tell them apart. now i have to look at the bills..ty..i'm glad the yellow finches are easir to tell apaet...lol
shawna 08-May-2009 23:14
Very informative page! I had a bird in my backyard this evening that didn't really look like our common house finch, but it was definitely a finch. I now know that it was a purple finch...pretty uncommon to see them here. You definitely cannot rely on color alone! Their difference in beak helped me out! Gorgeous pictures!
Sarah - Jason 22-Apr-2009 23:18
I like the pictures. Thanks for putting them on the computer so people can see it. My dad also thanks you.
Carol/Englewood,TN 20-Feb-2009 22:58
Thank you so much for your wonderful pictures!! I thought I had purple finches and it turns out it is a male house finch!! So nice to find the pictures so easy. Thanks again.
Liana 31-Jan-2009 20:30
Thanks for the comparison - it's the best i have found on line - very helpful
Mumzy Butters 25-Jan-2008 20:00
Thanks for the wonderful comparison between Purple and House Finches! Until they arrive at the feeders together, it's hard to tell them apart. But, the photos and explanation really help! We've just been invaded by a beautiful flock of House Finches!
Mumzy
Greens Fork, Indiana (60 miles straight east of Indianapolis)
Jason Unger 01-May-2006 18:05
I have some pictures of finches that were taken on MCAS Miramar in San Diego. I couldn't get decent pictures of the live birds at the site, but there were two dead birds that I photographed and a nest with eggs. I cannot tell if they are house finches or purple finches. Could I possibly send you the pictures to confirm what species I am dealing with?
Karen Moen03-Apr-2006 20:21
Good comparative study. In the summer, our male House finches get a bright scarlet red that matches the cardinal. Voted.
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