Birds that are small in size and have red or pink cheeks are typically from the finch family. The most common small birds with red cheeks are house finches, purple finches, Cassin’s finches, and pine siskins.
Many backyard bird enthusiasts are familiar withhouse finches, which are native to the western United States but have spread to become one of the most common feeder birds in North America. The males have red heads and breasts that vary in intensity by season, while females have subtle streaking on their underparts.
Purple finches look very similar to house finches but are not as widespread. Males have bright raspberry red heads, breasts, and rumps. They are more common in the eastern United States and Canada.
Cassin’s finches are found mainly in western North America. Males have a reddish head and breast, while females are more brown. Both genders have distinctive brown streaking on their underparts.
Pine siskins are small brown finches with yellow markings on their wings and tail. Males develop varying amounts of yellow and orange on their faces and breasts during breeding season.
House Finch
The house finch is a small songbird, native to the southwestern United States but introduced to the eastern United States. Males have a red head, breast and rump while females have a brown streaked breast and lack the bright coloration. House finches measure between 4.7-6.3 inches (12-16 cm) long and have a wingspan of 7.9-9.8 inches (20-25 cm).
Identification
To identify a house finch look for:
- Red head and breast in males (amount of red varies by season)
- Heavily streaked underparts in females
- Short notched tail
- Conical shaped beak
- Year-round habitat in towns, suburbs, parks, and gardens
Males have bright red feathering on the head, breast, back, and rump. This color is brightest during breeding season then becomes duller in winter. Females have a brown-streaked breast without any red coloration.
Behavior
House finches are very social and gather in large flocks. They are loud and noisy birds, continually chattering away. House finches are almost exclusively seed eaters. At feeders they like black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer, and millet.
They tend to forage in flocks, sometimes with other finch species. Flocks produce a cheery warbling song and various call notes.
House finches are residents across their range remaining in the same area throughout the year. They do not migrate though northern populations may move south in winter while southern populations move north.
Habitat
This species has adapted well to human development and is common in towns, suburbs, parks, and gardens. They favor areas with a mix of open ground and trees, with evergreen trees for roosting in winter months.
Their range covers most of North America from southern Canada through the eastern and western United States to Mexico. The Southeastern U.S. has the smallest house finch populations.
House finches nest in trees, building eaves, hanging plants, or anywhere they can find a cavity or place to build a nest. They readily use bird houses.
Diet
The diet of house finches consists almost entirely of seeds. At bird feeders they eat black oil sunflower, nyjer, millet and occasionally safflower. They sometimes forage on the ground for fallen seed.
In the wild house finches eat annual weed seeds like dandelions, nettle, thistle, amaranth and many others. They occasionally supplement their diet with berries and fruits.
Purple Finch
The purple finch is a species of finch native to eastern North America. Males have a brightly colored red head and breast varying in intensity based on season and age. Females have a brown streaked body with less coloration on the head. Purple finches measure 4.7-6.3 inches (12-16 cm) in length with a wingspan of 8.7-10.2 inches (22-26 cm).
Identification
To identify a purple finch:
- Look for the red head and breast on males
- Females are streaked brown overall
- Have a short notched tail
- Have a thicker beak than other finches
- Make wheezy vocalizations
The amount of red on the head and breast varies in males based on age and season. Young males and winter males have less red overall. Females have a plain brown streaked body and may show hints of red in their face or breast feathers.
Behavior
Purple finches forage for food in flocks, sometimes mixing with other finches and sparrows. They mainly stay up among tree branches and only occasionally come to bird feeders.
They have musical warbling calls and songs. Their song is bubbly and wheezy compared to the house finch.
Purple finches are social and communicate with various calls while foraging. They migrate at night in mixed flocks with other finches and birds.
Habitat
During the breeding season purple finches inhabit forests across Canada and the northeastern U.S. They favor mixed woods but can be found in coniferous or deciduous forests. They breed in northern forests then migrate south for the winter.
In winter they occur south of their breeding range into the southeastern United States. They use more open habitats in winter like suburbs, parks, and backyards.
Purple finches make nests in evergreen trees by building an open cup nest. They may reuse a nest from a previous year.
Diet
Purple finches eat primarily seeds and fruits. Favorites include sunflower seeds, millet, and nyjer. They also forage in trees and shrubs for cone seeds, tree buds, and fruits.
During spring and summer they eat more insects like flower petal galls, aphids, and caterpillars. They occasionally visit nectar feeders.
Cassin’s Finch
Cassin’s finch is a species found in western North America. Their breeding habitat spans British Columbia through the western United States down into Mexico. Males have a reddish-pink head and breast while females are more subtly brown. Cassin’s finches measure 5.5-6.3 inches long with a wingspan of 10.2-11 inches.
Identification
To identify Cassin’s finches look for:
- Pinkish head and breast in males
- Heavily streaked underparts in females
- Very short notched tail
- Small pointed bill
- Habitat in mountains and open conifer forests
The males have a distinctive cranberry-pink head, breast, and rump. Females have a heavily streaked brown back and underparts with some subtle red feathering on the head.
Behavior
Cassin’s finches forage for seeds and buds in flocks, occasionally mixing with other finches. They can be skittish and are usually found high up in trees.
They have a complex series of musical warbling calls and songs. Their song is described as blurry and buzzy.
They are social but less vocal when foraging compared to other finch species. Cassin’s finches migrate in flocks at night.
Habitat
Cassin’s finches breed in coniferous forests and aspen groves in the western mountains. They nest in tall conifer trees on an open cup nest made of twigs, bark, moss, and feathers.
In winter they descend to lower elevations and use more open habitats. They occur as rare vagrant visitors east of their normal range.
Diet
Cassin’s finches predominantly eat seeds and buds from conifer trees. At bird feeders they prefer sunflower seeds, nyjer, and millet. They forage on the ground or in lower branches of trees.
Their diet consists of conifer seeds like pine, hemlock, and spruce. They also eat ash, maple, and elm seeds as well as insects in summer.
Pine Siskin
The pine siskin is a small North American finch that can be identified by their brown streaked plumage, small pointed bill, notched tail, and yellow markings on the wings and tail. Males may show orange or yellow coloration on the face and breast during breeding season.
Identification
To identify pine siskins look for:
- Heavy brown streaking overall
- Small yellow patches on wings and tail
- Pointed conical bill
- Males can have yellow or orange face and breast
- Gregarious flocks
- Small size (4.3-5.5 inches)
Pine siskins are small active birds that stay in flocks. They have a pointed conical bill adapted for eating conifer seeds. Males and females look similar except males can develop more yellow/orange during breeding season.
Behavior
Pine siskins are highly social birds, traveling together in nomadic flocks throughout their range. They have a lovely twittering song and chatter constantly when in groups.
They can be aggressive at feeders, chasing off other birds. Pine siskins roam widely depending on conifer seed abundance. In some years they may wander south in huge flocks.
Despite their small size they are hardy birds, surviving cold winters and high elevations. They breed in conifer and mixed forests across Canada and northern United States.
Habitat
Pine siskins inhabit conifer forests across North America. Their preferred habitat is mature conifer stands of pine, spruce, hemlock, and fir. They breed in northern evergreen forests and mountain forests.
In winter they can occur in more open woodlands, suburbs, and backyards. They require a source of conifer seeds so remain close to conifer trees year-round.
They make nests on the branches of conifers by building an open cup nest out of twigs, grasses, moss, and pine needles.
Diet
As their name suggests, pine siskins specialize in eating conifer seeds. Their favorite seeds come from pine, spruce, hemlock, and alder trees. At bird feeders they like nyjer and small black oil sunflower seeds.
Siskins use their pointed bill to extract seeds from cones. They can hang upside-down and contort into odd positions while feeding. Their meals also include flower buds and some insects.
Backyard Identification
All four of these red-cheeked finches will visit bird feeders for small seeds like nyjer and sunflower seeds. However, they can be tough to distinguish as they have overlapping ranges and habits.
The cassin’s finch is only found in western North America. The house finch occurs throughout North America but is less common in southeastern forests. The purple finch breeds in northern forests and migrates south in winter while pine siskins are nomadic.
If you live in eastern North America, seeing a small finch with a red head and breast at a feeder narrows it down to a purple finch or house finch. The purple finch is more likely during winter or migration while the house finch is a year-round resident.
Comparison
Here is a quick comparison of some identification features:
| House Finch | Purple Finch | Cassin’s Finch | Pine Siskin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | Widespread | Eastern North America | Western North America | Widespread |
| Habitat | Backyards, parks, suburbs | Northern forests in summer, various habitats in winter | Coniferous mountain forests | Conifer forests |
| Bill Shape | Conical | Thick conical | Sharp conical | Very sharp conical |
| Tail Shape | Medium length, slightly notched | Medium length, slightly notched | Very short, deeply notched | Moderately notched |
| Song | Fast and warbled | Bubbly, wheezy warble | Fast, blurry, buzzy | Twittering and chattery |
Conclusion
There are a few species of small finches with red on their face and breast that may visit backyard bird feeders in North America. The four most common are house finches, purple finches, Cassin’s finches, and pine siskins.
House and purple finches look very similar, with males having varying shades of red. Females have heavily streaked underparts. Cassin’s finches have a smaller range out west while pine siskins are widespread and nomadic.
All these finches can be attracted to bird feeders with small seeds like nyjer and sunflower. Paying attention to their range, behavior, song, and bill shape helps identify which exact species is at your feeder.
