Purple Finch

Carpodacus purpureus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

15 cm (6") Fairly common. Coniferous forests, mixed open woods, suburban areas, feeders in winter.

Male: brilliant red over most of body. Striped back. White belly.

Female: very sparrow-like; dull brown and heavily streaked above and below. Similar to female House Finch and female Cassin's Finch. Told from House Finch by its distinctive ear patch and eyebrow stripe.

Song: long, loud, fast, excited, burbling warble; distinctive sharp musical "chip" given in flight.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Credit: Darrell

Credit: David A. Hofmann

Credit: Kelly Colgan Azar

Credit: Henry T. McLin

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Purple Finch

Credit: Larry Bond

Purple Finches

Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy Productions

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Purple Finch (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 7

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)

result:1036-purple-finch-male:1:1 Source: 1036 Purple Finch (Male), row 1

Rule 2 6 criteria confidence 7

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline

result:1036-purple-finch-male:2:1 Source: 1036 Purple Finch (Male), row 2

Purple Finch (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 7

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Blue · Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)

result:1037-purple-finch-female:1:1 Source: 1037 Purple Finch (Female), row 1

Rule 2 6 criteria confidence 7

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline

result:1037-purple-finch-female:2:1 Source: 1037 Purple Finch (Female), row 2