Bird guide · Haemorhous mexicanus
House Finch
What the house finch eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Mostly year-round resident; some eastern birds migrate.
- Size
- 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Eats
- sunflower seeds, nyjer, sugar water
- Feeds
- tube, nyjer sock, nectar feeder
- Most common
- New Mexico, Hawaii, Colorado
Food
What do house finches eat?
At feeders, house finches take sunflower seeds, nyjer, sugar water.
Congregates at feeders and can be aggressive enough to drive other birds away.
Feeder that suits it
A tube or hopper feeder with sunflower seed or sunflower hearts.
Range
Where do house finches live?
Coast to coast. By share of all bird sightings, house finches are most common in New Mexico (3.8%).
States where house finches are most common
- New Mexico3.8%
- Hawaii3.3%
- Colorado3.0%
- Arizona2.9%
- Utah2.7%
- California2.7%
- Nevada2.5%
- Idaho2.2%
- Tennessee2.1%
- Georgia2.1%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are house finches, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the house finch migrate?
Mostly year-round resident; some eastern birds migrate.. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are house finches, by month.
Identification
How to identify the house finch
Male: Red eyebrow, forehead, throat and chest contrasting with a brown cap; streaked sides.
Female: Plain brown face and blurry stripes on pale underparts.
Young birds: Sharper stripes than female.
Size: 5.5 in (14 cm)
Easily confused with
- Purple Finch – male more uniformly red, no dark side stripes
- House Sparrow – no stripes below
On camera
Getting the house finch on a feeder camera
Any seed camera feeder works. Hang it near shrubs for cover, about five feet off the ground, with the lens facing away from direct sun.
Questions
House Finch: questions
What do house finches eat?
At feeders, sunflower seeds, nyjer, sugar water.
Do house finches migrate?
Mostly year-round resident; some eastern birds migrate.. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Where do house finches live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in New Mexico, Hawaii, Colorado, Arizona, Utah. They are rare or absent in Alaska.
What does a female house finch look like?
Plain brown face and blurry stripes on pale underparts.