The well-traveled house finch

Published 11:45 am Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Here is a photo I took of a male house finch that, along with gold finches, makes up most of the birds that visit my sunflower seed feeders here in our courtyard at Alpine House.

These finches belong to the family of seed eaters such as pine siskins, grosbeaks, crossbills and purple finches. They nest from the lower altitudes of British Columbia down through California and on into Mexico. The males help with the nest construction but do not help with the incubation except they bring food to the females who are on the eggs. Although they are seed eaters, they feed their young mostly insects until they get a little older. And the males also bring food to the nestlings.

House finches are native western birds and live in a variety of habitats. They can even be found in deserts if there is water nearby such as springs or stock-water tanks. However, they prefer farm land and buildings where there is abundant food. I know, because they used to eat our cherries that we had close to our house when we lived in Clackamas County. And they don’t necessarily migrate south if we keep putting out sunflower seeds for them.

I spend about $25 per month to feed the birds but I get a lot of enjoyment out of watching them while we eat our meals. I have been interested in wild birds since I was about 5 years old and there is so much to learn about them that Charles Darwin and the Wright Brothers studied them intensely for many years. I don’t think anyone can study bird behavior without being a believer in a Supreme Being. Yes, it is that complex and mind-boggling.

Meanwhile, look out your windows and you might see a few house finches.