By Casey First
The Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) has been very aptly described by the late, great Roger Tory Peterson as a “sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.” Not to be confused with its doppelgänger and close relative the House Finch, this purple variety is unique in its own right. Considerably larger than other songbirds like Titmice and Nuthatches, this finch is stocky and rounder than most other birds of similar size.

David Ballard, artist
Adult males have a deeper, dark red stripe over their eyes, covering this raspberry-dunked head. They have a poofy, velvety, rose-colored crest on top, a softer pink and white underbelly, and dark brown chocolatey wings that meet a short and pointy tail that appears to be clipped at the end. The female lacks the illustrious red colors that her male counterpart has, with broken brown streaks atop a white body.
Both males and females have a stout, conical-shaped bill (very much like that of the Northern Cardinal), suited perfectly for breaking open tasty sunflower seeds, a staple of their diet (along with berries) in the winter months. In springtime and warmer months, they forage for high-protein insects like grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. They also love millet and several grass varieties, and are very fond of thistle.
To attract them to a feeder in the winter months here in Western North Carolina and other parts of the eastern and central US, try offering them finely chopped sunflower hearts mixed with thistle or high-oil sunflower seeds in the shell at a dedicated feeder for them and other finch species to enjoy.
When not visiting us in the winter, Purple Finches breed in vast areas of central Canada and are year-round residents in parts of the Pacific Northwest and the New England Northeast. This finch variety in the Pacific region tends to have a more olive-green coloration, while finches of the Northeast are typically brighter and more vibrant.
We’ll see Purple Finches here in densely wooded, mixed-tree forests, in overgrown grassy fields, close to water in thick brushes and even in residential backyards along wooded edges. If you don’t spot them perched high above on an old oak in your greenspace this winter, listen for their melodious song of a cheery-sounding series of slightly slurred whistles that resemble a “warbling song.” Their song can be quite intricate, with many pitches, notes and changes in cadence.
During nesting season, the male will display a dance to court the female, putting on quite the show in hopes to win her over. Males can be observed hopping along on one foot while balancing with a twig in the other. Once the courtship has commenced, nests will typically be built anywhere from a few feet up to more than 50 feet high on the ends of deciduous trees like oak or maples. As with so many other species, the female does the brunt of the nest-building work. When all is said and done, Mama Finch will lay about a half-dozen eggs and have one to two broods per nesting season.
The good news for these raspberry sparrows is that their conservation risk is low, although numbers have decreased in the past 50 years. Keeping their breeding habitats free from deforestation will allow us to enjoy these colorful birds in our backyards each winter.
Casey First is owner of North Asheville Wild Birds Unlimited, located at 946 Merrimon Avenue, Suite 120. Monthly bird events are free and open to the public, with no registration required. To learn more, visit NorthAsheville.wbu.com. Find artist David Ballard’s work on Instagram (d.ballard.art).