Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

Purple Finch Life Cycle

Purple Finches are fairly common in many areas of North America. The Purple Finch's preferred breeding territories are woodlands and forests in northern and western areas of North America, although eastern regions of the United States are popular Purple Finch habitats over winter. These birds often migrate to the lower altitudes and more southerly areas of their breeding habitat during their winter migration.

Identification
- Purple Finches are stout birds, measuring around 6 inches in length. Their tails are relatively short, and their beaks are strong and large for birds of this size. The plumage of male birds is mainly pink to red in color, with white feathers under its tail and belly and brown patterns on its wings. Coloring is darkest on the male's head and cheeks. Female Purple Finches have no pink or red coloring. Male and female Purple Finches feature the same markings, but these are more distinct in females, which are brown, while males are red. Male and female birds look very similar, and are both brown in color for the first year of their lives.
Mating Behavior
- The breeding season for Purple Finches generally runs from April to June. Males perform a courtship ritual which, if successful, results in the birds forming a monogamous breeding pair. This courtship features the male bird puffing out his feathers and singing to the female. The male will also fly vertically up to 12 inches into the air during this ritual.
Nests
- The Purple Finch's preferred nesting location is on a sheltered branch away from the trunk of a coniferous tree. These nests may be built lower than 3 feet from the ground or as high up as 60 feet. Less commonly, nests may also be built in shrubs or other trees, such as maples. Nests measure around 7 inches in diameter and are constructed from sticks, roots and twigs. The female carries out this building work and then lines it with softer material, such as moss and hair.
Eggs and Rearing Young
- A breeding pair of Purple Finches usually produces two clutches of eggs in each yearly breeding season. Each of these clutches contains between two and seven eggs, although a clutch of four or five eggs is most common. These eggs are pale blue with darker markings. A single egg usually measures a little less than 1 inch in length and around 1/2 inch in width. The female Purple Finch incubates her eggs for between 12 and 14 days. After incubation, eggs hatch, and both parents care for the nestlings until they leave the nest. Young may leave the nest after as few as 11 days or as many as 19 days.

Animals & Science