How common are Purple Finches?

Purple finches are a species of bird found across much of North America. They are a reddish-purple colored finch with a notched tail. Determining exactly how common or widespread purple finches are can be difficult to quantify, but we can examine multiple sources of data to get a general sense of their abundance and distribution. Some key questions we can look at include:

What is their overall population size?

Estimates for the global population of purple finches put their numbers in the range of 13-17 million individuals. Their populations are generally thought to be stable and not of immediate conservation concern. However, more localized declines have been observed in some areas.

In what regions are they found?

Purple finches breed across Canada and the northeastern and northwestern United States. Their breeding range extends as far west as Alaska and down into the Appalachians in the east. They migrate south in winter to the Pacific Coast and across the eastern half of the U.S. into the Southeast and Texas.

What habitats do they occupy?

Purple finches breed in coniferous and mixed forests across their range. They prefer stands of spruce, fir, pine, hemlock and cedar trees. In winter they shift more to deciduous trees and shrubs, frequenting backyards and feeding stations.

How many live in a given area?

Purple finch densities can vary considerably across their range. Some estimates of their breeding densities include:

These densities correspond to roughly 20-50 individuals per 100 acres during the breeding season. Densities are higher in wintering flocks, potentially up to 150-200 birds per 100 acres.

Range and Distribution

Purple finches breed across Canada and the northern United States. Their range extends:

• East to west from Newfoundland to Alaska
• North to south from Yukon and Northwest Territories to northern California, the Great Lakes states and New England

Some key facts about their breeding and wintering distributions:

Breeding Range

• They breed across all Canadian provinces and territories
• In the U.S. they breed from the Pacific Northwest through the Rockies in states like Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming
• On the east coast they breed in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin
• They do not commonly breed south of Northern California, Nevada, Utah, northern Colorado, northern Missouri, Kentucky and the Virginias

Wintering Range

• In winter they withdraw primarily from the northern U.S. and southern Canada
• They winter along the Pacific Coast from southern Alaska through California
• Across the southern U.S. their winter range includes Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas
• On the east coast they winter from southern New England south throughout the entire coast

Migration

Purple finches undergo migratory movements between their breeding and wintering grounds.

• They generally migrate at night and travel in flocks
• Fall migration occurs between September and November
• Spring migration takes place between February and May
• Some northern populations migrate south and southeast, while west coast birds head south and east
• Birds in the Appalachian Mountains are often permanent residents

Habitat

Purple finches use different forest habitats during the breeding season versus winter:

Breeding Habitat

• Coniferous forests including spruce, fir, pine, hemlock and cedar
• Mixed forests interspersed with conifer stands
• Forest openings, clearings and edges
• High, exposed perch sites like dead snags are used for singing and displaying

Winter Habitat

• Deciduous trees and shrubs
• Backyards with feeders, especially if stocked with sunflower seeds
• Orchards
• Parks and gardens with fruiting trees like crabapples

Diet

Purple finches are primarily seed eaters, feeding on:

• Seeds from conifers like hemlock, spruce, fir and pine
• Seeds from deciduous trees like elm, birch, poplar and alder
• Buds from trees and shrubs
• Fruit including raspberries, blackberries and cherries
• Backyard bird feeders, preferentially sunflower seeds

They use their thick conical bills to crack open seeds. Young nestlings are fed regurgitated insect matter by parents.

Some key aspects of their diet:

• More than 85% of their annual diet is composed of seeds
• Conifer seeds become especially important in winter
• Fruit consumption peaks in late summer/early fall during ripening
• Nestlings require high protein insect diet for their first 5-7 days

Mating and Reproduction

Purple finches have the following reproductive biology:

• They are monogamous breeders, pair bonds last one breeding season
• Breeding occurs between May and August, with peak activity in June
• Open cup nests are built by females in conifers, 5-16 ft off the ground
• Clutch size is 4-5 eggs, laid one per day. Incubation lasts 12-14 days.
• Young fledge nest at 14-17 days old. Parents continue care for 3-4 weeks after.
• Pairs can raise one or two broods per season. Renesting can occur if first nest fails.

Some additional details on their breeding habits:

• Male courtship consists of flight displays and song to attract female
• Nest construction peaks in late May and June
• Pairs abandon nest sites disturbed by predators or human interference
• Cowbird parasitism is frequent in some parts of range
• Average clutch size decreases over the breeding season

Behavior

Some key aspects of purple finch behavior include:

Diet

• Forage in flocks, pairs or individually
• Males defend food resources and form dominance hierarchies
• Females forage widely, exploring new areas
• Use gape pouch under tongue to husk seeds
• Drink infrequently, getting moisture from fruits

Migration

• Travel in flocks of a few to hundreds of birds
• Flocks break apart on wintering grounds
• Young birds disperse further distances than adults
• Males arrive earlier than females on breeding grounds

Communication

• Song is a series of warbling notes and twitters
• Call is a flat, blunt “pit” note
• Wide variety of flight displays used in courtship
• Males sing from high exposed perches to defend territory

Conservation Status

The purple finch is considered a species of least concern by the IUCN. However some key conservation notes include:

• Populations declined by over 50% from 1966 to 2015 per the North American Breeding Bird Survey
• Fragmentation of coniferous breeding habitat may reduce nesting success
• Climate change forcing range shifts observed in western North America
• Vulnerable to declines with increased frequency of severe weather
• Backyard bird feeding provides important winter food source

More research is needed to better understand their overall population trends and conservation needs. While still common, local declines warrant continued monitoring of purple finch populations across North America. Maintaining suitable breeding and wintering habitat will be key to ensuring their long-term survival.

Conclusion

In conclusion, purple finches are fairly common songbirds found across much of North America. Their breeding range centers on Canada and the northern U.S., while in winter they expand south throughout the U.S. and along the Pacific Coast. Coniferous and mixed forests provide essential breeding habitat, while in winter they adapt to deciduous areas. Seed eating makes up the bulk of their diet. They migrate in flocks between breeding and wintering grounds. While overall populations seem stable, some declines have been observed that may require conservation action if they continue. More detailed monitoring and habitat management will help maintain healthy populations of this colorful finch into the future.