---

House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

© John J. Mosesso

Length: 5-5.5 in.
Habitat: deserts, scrubby ares, open forests, farmlands, towns, suburbs; at feeders.

The House Finch is an exceptionally adaptable species. Once restricted to the Southwest, it bagan to extend its range in the 1920's; following the release of caged birds in New York in 1940, House Finches spread in the East. The birds nest in all sorts of beams of buildings, and in the nests of other birds. In the West, Cassin's Finch (carpodacus cassinii) may be mistaken for this species or for the Purple Finch.