When I started my Bird Garden 15 years back, had none of these but did have a few Purple Finch. Now I have many, many, maybe too many? House Finch.
The male is a colorful redish. Perhaps the female is dull as she must sit unseen on the nest.
These are happy little birds. They are the same size as a Gold Finch and have about the same diet. At the feeders, they prefer seeds. Any seed is Ok with them. They also eat buds and berries.
I have them all day every day. You have probably seen the feeders with ports where the Gold Finch has to hang upside down to eat. House Finch can't do that.
Feeding the Finches is no big deal during most of the year (the same is true of most birds). In Winter, they can eat ever how much you put out. I seldom buy Niger any more, just regular and shelled Sun Flower. I generally pick up as much as my Jeep can carry when it goes on sale.
Finches eat most of the food at my place. I like them (who could not?), and their activity draws in many other birds who might not visit.
My two most numerous birds are Gold Finch and House Finch. Some times when we have a lot of 'this or that' we forget how special and interesting they are as individuals. Finches are fiesty and loud. I like them.
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