Purple Finch

The purple finch is 12–16 cm (4.7–6.3 in) in overall length and weighs a mean 23.3 g (0.82 oz), ranging from 19.8 to 28.4 g (0.7 - 1.0 oz). It has a short forked brown tail and brown wings. Adult males are raspberry red on the head, breast, back and rump; their back is streaked. Adult females have light brown upperparts and white underparts with dark brown streaks throughout; they have a white line on the face above the eye. The subspecies H. P. californicus differs from the nominate in having a longer tail and shorter wings. The plumage of both males and females is darker, and the coloration of the females is more greenish. It also has a longer bill.

Their breeding habitat is coniferous and mixed forest in Canada and the northeastern United States, as well as various wooded areas along the U.S. Pacific coast. Birds from northern Canada migrate to the southern and midwestern United States; other birds are permanent residents. The purple finch population has been displaced from some breeding season habitats in the Eastern United States following the introduction of the house finch, which is native to the western U.S. and Mexico. The two species share a similar niche, with the house finch often outcompeting the purple finch during the summer.

These birds forage in trees and bushes, sometimes in ground vegetation. They mainly eat seeds, berries, and insects. They also eat tree buds, caterpillars, and beetles.

In 1957 the purple finch was designated as the state bird of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire red hen (breed of domestic chicken) was also proposed, but was not chosen in favor of the purple finch. In 1763, Richard Brookes made the description of the female purple finch in Mexico with the name of "chiantototl" (chia seed bird).