House Finch

The House Finch is a very fascinating bird in fact. Its binomial nomenclature is Haemorhous Mexicanus meaning bird from the West. House Finches came from Mexico and were brought to the Western United States because they were going to be sold as cage birds. When this failed, they were released and bred rapidly and soon spread to the East in the next 50 years. They are sexually dimorphic being that the male has the bright red color on its head and upper breast. The female is generally brown having streaks going down its belly. They are very sociable birds and during mating season they will perform a flight song display to attract mates. They also will defend their territories by fighting other birds. They live on both coasts of the United States and you may catch them in cities, suburbs and even the countryside. House Finches will tend to eat anything. They like seeds, buds, and fruits. You may find they in orchards eating on peaches, pears, blueberries and more. This is a very common bird so the status of the House Finch is a low concern. If you ever see one, they are very beautiful, take a picture.