If you’re a bird enthusiast in Texas, you’re in luck! Texas is home to a diverse range of bird species, including 11 types of finches. These small, colorful birds can be found throughout the state, from urban areas to rural landscapes.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the 11 types of finches in Texas, complete with pictures and identification guides to help you spot and identify them in the wild.
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Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just starting out, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to appreciate these beautiful birds.
11 Types Of Finches In Texas With Pictures And Id Guide
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
The House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) is a small, colorful bird that is abundant in the Panhandle of Texas. These birds are common permanent residents in much of Texas, and are found in suburban settings, open woods, brushy field edges, and deserts.
Adult males are rosy red around their heads and upper chest, while females are drab gray-brown overall with plain faces and blurry streaks on underparts.
House Finches have fairly large beaks and somewhat long, flat heads, and their wings are short, making the tail seem long by comparison. These birds are sparrow-sized or smaller, with a length of 5.1-5.5 inches and a weight of 0.6-0.9 ounces.
House Finches are uncommon to locally common throughout most of Texas.
Cassin’s Finch (Haemorhous cassinii)
Cassin’s Finch (Haemorhous cassinii) is a small, colorful bird that is found in mountainous regions, mainly in coniferous forests, drifting to lower elevations in winter.
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The male Cassin’s Finch is rosy pink overall with a bright red crown, and has a weight of 0.8-1.2 ounces and a wingspan of 9.8-10.6 inches. The female is drabber, with brownish-gray plumage and blurry streaks on the underparts.
Cassin’s Finch is a member of the finch family and is closely related to the Purple Finch and House Finch. These birds are common and widespread, but surveys suggest declining populations in recent decades. Cassin’s Finch is not commonly found in southeast Texas.
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
There are two types of Goldfinches found in Texas, the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) and the Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria). Here’s some information about the American Goldfinch:
– The American Goldfinch is common to abundant throughout much of temperate North America, forming flocks in winter that are among the more.
– These birds are small finches with sharply pointed bills that are pink in summer and grayish-brown in winter.
– Adult males in spring and summer are bright yellow with black wings and tail, while females are duller yellow-brown.
– The American Goldfinch is commonly found in Texas and is a delightful little bird that you will probably see in winter.
– These beautiful birds are known for their bright yellow plumage and their cheerful, musical songs.
If you’re interested in identifying the Lesser Goldfinch, it is a small, short-tailed finch with a conical bill and a distinctive yellow patch on the wings.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a small, migratory bird that is common to abundant throughout much of temperate North America. Here are some key characteristics of the American Goldfinch:
– These birds have a short, conical bill and a small head, long wings, and short, notched tail.
– Adult males in spring and summer are bright yellow with black forehead and wings, while females are dull yellow below and olive above.
– American Goldfinches are common and widespread in Texas, and are often seen at feeders where they take primarily sunflower and nyjer seeds.
– These birds are usually easy to find throughout much of North America, except in deep forests.
– American Goldfinches are most abundant in areas with thistle plants, and near feeders.
If you’re interested in attracting American Goldfinches to your yard, you can plant native thistles and other composite plants, as well as native milkweed.
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
The Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is a small, nomadic finch that ranges widely and erratically across the continent each winter in response to seed crops. Here are some key characteristics of the Pine Siskin:
Identification:
– Pine Siskins are small, brown, streaked finches with sharply pointed bills and short, notched tails.
– Some show yellow in the wing and tail.
– Their uniquely shaped bill is more slender than that of most finches.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Pine Siskins are often found in areas with conifers, and can be seen clinging to the ends of conifer branches, even upside down, to feed at cones.
– They are known for their distinctive, harsh “watch-winding” call amidst their constant flock twitters.
– Pine Siskins flock to thistle or nyjer feeders and other small seeds such as millet or hulled sunflower seeds.
– They may also feed on plants or weeds with hardy seed heads, such as dandelion.
Conservation Status:
– Pine Siskins are widespread and abundant, but local numbers are quite variable.
– Surveys suggest slight declines in overall population in recent decades.
Fun Fact:
– The oldest recorded Pine Siskin was at least 9 years, 2 months old when it was found in North Carolina in 2016.
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
The Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) is a sexually dimorphic bird that is moderately common across the northern United States, southern and central Canada, and the west coast of North America. Here are some key characteristics of the Purple Finch:
Identification:
– Adult males are raspberry red on the head, breast, back, and rump, with a streaked back.
– Adult females have light brown upperparts and white underparts with dark brown streaks throughout, and a white line on the face above the eye.
– Both sexes have a short, forked brown tail and brown wings.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Purple Finches breed in coniferous or mixed forests and visit feeders.
– They feed on seeds and insects up in trees and shrubs, and sometimes on the ground.
– These birds are known for their sweet, warbling song.
– Purple Finches are less numerous as feeder visitors in recent years.
Conservation Status:
– Purple Finches are widespread and abundant, but surveys suggest declining populations in recent decades.
Fun Fact:
– The Purple Finch is not actually purple, but a rosy or raspberry red color, especially around the head, breast, and back.
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
The Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) is a small bird in the finch family that breeds somewhat further south than the Arctic Redpoll, also in habitats with thickets or shrubs. Here are some key characteristics of the Common Redpoll:
Identification:
– Common Redpolls are brown and white birds with heavily streaked sides.
– They have a small red forehead patch, black feathering around a yellow bill, and two white wingbars.
– These birds are about the size of an American Goldfinch, with a short tail and a small, pointed, seed-eating bill.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Common Redpolls are found in boreal and taiga regions of both the Old and New World Arctic during the summer, and are often among the most common birds in these areas.
– During the winter, they are irruptive species that move south in numbers only some years, and can be found in large flocks.
– Common Redpolls are known for their twittering trill and soft rattle calls.
– These birds feed on small seeds, and can be found at feeders where they favor nyjer seed.
Conservation Status:
– Common Redpolls are widespread and abundant, but surveys suggest declining populations in recent decades.
Fun Fact:
– Some Common Redpolls are incredibly wide-ranging, with banding records showing that birds banded in Michigan have been recovered in Siberia, and birds banded in Belgium have been found in China.
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
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The Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Here are some key characteristics of the Red Crossbill:
Identification:
– Red Crossbills are medium-sized finches with a crisscrossed bill that is used to pry seeds out of conifer cones.
– Adult males are red overall with darker brownish-red wings, while females are greenish-yellow overall with brownish wings.
– These birds have a stocky, large-headed appearance and a short, notched tail.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Red Crossbills are found in coniferous woodlands, where they forage on nutritious seeds in pine, hemlock, Douglas-fir, and spruce cones.
– These birds are known for their distinctive, sharp “kip-kip-kip” calls.
– Red Crossbills are not migratory, but wander widely outside of the breeding season.
– These birds are widespread and common, but some of the forms (or evident species) are of conservation concern.
Fun Fact:
– The Red Crossbill’s unique bill shape is an adaptation for extracting seeds from conifer cones, and different populations of Red Crossbills have differently shaped bills that are specialized for different types of cones.
Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
The Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) is a passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae that is found in North America. Here are some key characteristics of the Evening Grosbeak:
Identification:
– Evening Grosbeaks are large, heavyset finches with a thick neck, full chest, and relatively short tail.
– Adult males are yellow and black with a prominent white patch in the wings, while females are overall gray with some white on the wing.
– These birds have a large, pale bill that is used to crack large seeds with ease.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Evening Grosbeaks are found in northern coniferous forests, and are irruptive migrants that move south in large flocks in some years.
– These birds are known for their colorful, noisy flocks and their fondness for sunflower seeds at bird feeders.
– Evening Grosbeaks are mostly seed-eaters, with seeds making up the majority of their diet, especially seeds of box elder, ash, maple, locust, and other trees.
– These birds are declining dramatically in population, and are considered a vulnerable species.
Fun Fact:
– The Evening Grosbeak was formally described in 1825 by the American naturalist William Cooper and given the binomial name Fringilla vespertina.
Lawrence’s Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei)
Lawrence’s Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei) is a small songbird that breeds in California and Baja California and winters in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Here are some key characteristics of the Lawrence’s Goldfinch:
Identification:
– Lawrence’s Goldfinches are small, soft gray songbirds with a black face and a yellow breast.
– Adult males have a complex black and yellow pattern on their wings, while females are mostly gray with some yellow on the breast.
– These birds have a small, conical bill, a short tail with a slight fork or notch, and broad wings.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Lawrence’s Goldfinches are found in oak-pine woodlands and other open habitats with scattered trees and shrubs.
– These birds are known for their sweet, warbling song and their fondness for sunflower seeds at bird feeders.
– Lawrence’s Goldfinches are nomadic and erratic in their movements, and can be difficult to find outside of their breeding range.
– These birds are uncommon and local, and could be vulnerable to loss of habitat.
Fun Fact:
– Male Lawrence’s Goldfinches don’t get their lemon yellow breeding plumage through molting. Rather, the feathers become yellower as they wear, shedding their brownish color and exposing yellow parts of the feather beneath. No other goldfinches acquire breeding plumage in this manner.
Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata)
The Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae that is native to alpine areas above treeline in the western United States. Here are some key characteristics of the Black Rosy-Finch:
Identification:
– Black Rosy-Finches are medium-sized, chunky finches with a conical bill and a notched tail.
– Adult males are black overall with a pink wash on the wings and tail, while females are brownish-gray overall with some yellow on the breast.
– These birds have a wingspan of 13 inches and a length of 5.5-6.3 inches.
Habitat and Behavior:
– Black Rosy-Finches are found in alpine areas above treeline in the western United States, and are often seen in flocks.
– These birds are known for their distinctive, sweet, warbling song.
– Black Rosy-Finches are not migratory, but may move to lower elevations in winter.
– These birds are uncommon and local, and their mountaintop habitats are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Fun Fact:
– The breeding biology of the Black Rosy-Finch is unusual in that a male primarily defends a floating territory around his mate, rather than a fixed piece of real estate. As a result, males constantly chase other males that approach their mates too closely, and females are most readily attracted to males that are the most aggressive in their defense.
FAQS
1. What are the different types of finches found in Texas?
There are 11 types of finches found in Texas, including the House Finch, Cassin’s Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Common Redpoll, Red Crossbill, Evening Grosbeak, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, and Black Rosy-Finch.
2. Where can I find finches in Texas?
Finches can be found throughout Texas, from urban areas to rural landscapes. They are commonly found in suburban settings, open woods, brushy field edges, and deserts.
3. How can I identify different types of finches in Texas?
Each type of finch has unique physical characteristics that can help with identification. The “11 Types of Finches in Texas with Pictures and ID Guide” article provides pictures and identification guides to help you spot and identify them in the wild.
4. What do finches eat?
Finches primarily feed on seeds, but some species also eat insects. They can be attracted to bird feeders with sunflower seeds, nyjer seed, and other small seeds such as millet or hulled sunflower seeds.
5. Are finches in Texas endangered?
While some species of finches in Texas are declining in population, most are still common and widespread. However, some species, such as the Evening Grosbeak and Black Rosy-Finch, are considered vulnerable or of conservation concern.
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Category: Birds
