Finches of the United States: A Photo List of All Species
February 12, 2021 · Kathryn Stonich
There are 17 North American finch species. These include crossbills, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, redpolls, and siskins. Birds in the Fringillidae family all have compact bodies, conical bills, and short necks with large jaw muscles. They also have relatively pointed wings, notched tails, and distinctive flight calls.
These small to medium-sized birds seem unassuming at first. However, when looked at more closely, their true beauty emerges. From the striking plumages of the three goldfinch species to the unusual and spectacular bills of crossbills and grosbeaks, finches really do have it all.
While these social birds are relatively conspicuous, they should not be taken for granted: More than half of North America's finch species are in decline. New Hampshire, for example, is at risk of losing its state bird, the Purple Finch, as rising temperatures are expected to lead to a loss of 99 percent of this bird's summer range in the state. Brown-capped and Black Rosy-Finches are also in danger and are on Partners in Flight's (PIF's) Red Watch List, and only an estimated 6,000 Cassia Crossbills remain.
Hazards like window collisions, outdoor cats, and pesticide use pose a threat to finches. Habitat loss from deforestation and other forms of land conversion are also major threats. But the effects of climate change seem to have taken the largest toll on finch populations.
For the purposes of this U.S.-based list, we've used PIF population and conservation data exclusive to the United States and Canada. In many cases, these population estimates do not reflect global numbers. Cassia Crossbill information comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Our list is organized taxonomically and includes all regularly occurring finch species in the continental United States and Canada.
U.S./Canada Population Estimate: 3.4 Million Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Northern and montane forests Threats: Deforestation, disease, loss of food sources due to pesticides Conservation Status:PIF Yellow Watch List Note: The Evening Grosbeak does not have a complex song, but rather draws from a collection of sweet, piercing notes and burry chirps.
Pine Grosbeak
U.S./Canada Population Estimate: 4.4 million Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Open boreal forest Threats: Possibly climate change Note: Locals in Newfoundland affectionately call Pine Grosbeaks "mopes" because they can be so tame and slow moving. Pine Grosbeaks declined by 2.4 percent per year between 1966 and 2015, resulting in a cumulative decline of 70 percent.
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
U.S./Canada Population Estimate: 200,000 Population Trend: Unknown Habitat: Alpine tundra Threats: Climate change Note: The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch has little fear of humans and allows people to approach fairly close.
Black Rosy-Finch
U.S. Population Estimate:20,000 Population Trend:Decreasing Habitat: Alpine tundra Threats:Climate change Conservation Status:PIF Red Watch List Note:The Black Rosy-Finches nest in secluded crevasses along cliffs in alpine areas.
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
U.S. Population Estimate: 45,000 Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Alpine tundra Threats: Climate change Conservation Status: PIF Red Watch List Note: Brown-capped Rosy-Finches are the most sedentary rosy-finch.Unlike the Black Rosy-Finch, this species will sometimes nest in abandoned buildings.
House Finch
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:31 million Population Trend: Increasing Habitat:Generalist Threats: House Finch conjunctivitis (mycoplasmal conjunctivitis) Note: House Finches are native to the western United States and Mexico but were introduced in the eastern United States when illegal cagebirds were released in New York in 1939. This is one of the most well-studied bird species.
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:5.9 million Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Mixed northern, montane, and boreal forests Threats: Competition with the House Finch over food and breeding grounds, possibly climate change Note: Purple Finches sometimes imitate other birds in their songs, including Barn Swallows, American Goldfinches, Eastern Towhees, and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Purple Finch populations decreased by almost 1.5 percent per year between 1966 and 2014.
Cassin's Finch
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:3 million Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Western forests Threats: Additional studies are needed to determine the factors causing population decline. Conservation Status: PIF Yellow Watch List Note:In comparison to House and Purple Finches, the Cassin's Finch has more of a peaked head and a longer, straighter bill. Cassin's Finch populations have declined 69 percent since 1970.
Common Redpoll
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:38 million Population Trend: Unknown Habitat: Sub-Arctic forests and tundra Threats: Vehicle collisions, salmonella infections from bird feeders, possibly climate change Note: Common Redpolls sometimes escape the cold of winter nights by burrowing into snow. (To keep redpolls and other birds safe at feeders, it is recommended that you clean your feeders with a diluted bleach solution several times a week, and make sure feeders are dry before filling them with seed. This helps prevent salmonella and other infections.)
Hoary Redpoll
U.S./Canada Population Estimate: 10 million Population Trend: Unknown Habitat: Arctic tundra Threats: Possibly climate change Note: Some Hoary Redpolls winter in northern areas that are near their nesting grounds that remain dark, or nearly so, for months at a time.
Red Crossbill
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:7.8 million Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Coniferous forests Threats: Deforestation, vehicle collisions, possible chemical poisoning Note: The crossbill's odd bill shape helps it push up the scales on tightly closed cones to expose the seeds inside.
Cassia Crossbill
U.S. Population Estimate:6,000 Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Lodgepole Pine forests, other coniferous forests Threats: Forestfires, infestations of Mountain Pine Bark Beetle, possibly climate change Note: The Cassia Crossbill was once considered to be one of ten types of Red Crossbill. However, by 2017, careful study revealed that it doesn't migrate or breed with other crossbills. Its name comes from Cassia County, Idaho.
White-winged Crossbill
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:35 million Population Trend:Increasing Habitat: Boreal forest Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation, possible chemical poisoning Note: It is three times more likely that a White-winged Crossbill's lower mandible will cross to the right than to the left.
U.S./Canada Population Estimate: 35 million Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Northern and montane forests Threats: Domestic cats and other predators, salmonella infections from feeders, pesticide poisoning Conservation Status: Common Bird in Steep Decline Note: To stay warm, Pine Siskins can speed up their metabolic rate roughly 40 percent higher than a “normal” songbird their size. Pine Siskin populations have declined by 80 percent since 1970.
Lesser Goldfinch
U.S. Population Estimate:4.7 million Population Trend: Increasing Habitat: Brushy areas, forest edges, gardens Threats: Loss of riparian habitat Note: The Lesser Goldfinch is most common in California and Texas, and the species' range is expanding at least partly due to urbanization.
Lawrence's Goldfinch
U.S. Population Estimate:240,000 Population Trend: Decreasing Habitat: Chaparral, dry areas near water Threats: Habitat loss, introduction of invasive species Note: The Lawrence's Goldfinch is nomadic. Consequently, large numbers can be found in an area one year, but may be entirely absent the next.
U.S./Canada Population Estimate:43 million Population Trend: Increasing Habitat: Open habitats, fields, forest edges, open woodlands Threats: Cat predation, glass collisions Note: Goldfinches have an almost entirely plant-based diet.
How Can I Help?
We all can do our part to protect North America's finches.
American Bird Conservancy and our Joint Venture partners have improved conservation management on 6.4 million acres of U.S. bird habitat — an area larger than the state of Maryland — over the last ten years. This is a monumental undertaking, requiring the support of many, and you can help by making a gift today.
Policies enacted by Congress and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have a huge impact on America's birds. You can help shape these rules for the better by telling lawmakers to prioritize birds, bird habitat, and bird-friendly measures. To get started, visit ABC's Action Center.
Finally, don't overlook the impact you can have at home. Living a bird-friendly life can have an immediate impact on the birds around you. Doing so can be as easy as adding native plants to your garden, avoiding pesticides, and keeping cats indoors. To learn more, visit our Bird-Friendly Life page.
Kathryn Stonich teaches English for the Community College of Baltimore County and Bryant & Stratton College online. She is an avid backyard birder and advocate for pigeon and dove rescue.
Cassin's Finch
