House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

This recent addition to Missouri's avifauna is seldom found far from human habitation. It is associated with urban, suburban and rural areas that have suitable nesting sites and where bird feeders are maintained. House Finches select nest sites with overhead protection including hanging flower pots, under awnings and extremely dense cover such as evergreen trees, shrubs and hedges. Natives of the Rocky Mountains westward, House Finches were introduced into the eastern United States during the 1940s (Elliott and Arbib 1953). Initially restricted to the vicinity of New York City, their numbers increased substantially during the 1960s as they expanded their breeding range across the United States (Hill 1993). They were first detected in Missouri in the St. Louis area in 1974 and then again in 1977 (Jones 1978). The first nest was reported in St. Louis in 1983 (Wilson 1984).

Code Frequency

House Finches were still expanding their range westward across Missouri and increasing in numbers when the Atlas Project was initiated in 1986. House Finches are considered a relatively easy species to detect and confirm due to their loud, often-repeated song and their association with human habitation.

Average Number of Birds / 100 stops

Distribution

House Finches were sparsely scattered to the western border of Missouri indicating their westward range expansion across the state was complete by the conclusion of the Atlas Project. Detected in only 100 blocks, House Finches were rarely recorded in the western Ozarks and were most frequently recorded in the Glaciated Plains, Osage Plains, Mississippi Lowlands and eastern Ozark natural divisions.

Phenology

House Finches are permanent residents (Robbins and Easterla 1992) that initiate nesting in spring when conditions are favorable. The nest with young discovered on May 11 indicates that nesting was actually initiated in mid- to late April. This may be typical of the first brood. House Finches often raise two or three broods (Hill 1993). Atlas observations of nest building and the late observation of a nest with young likely represent second broods.

Notes

Brown-headed Cowbirds generally do not parasitize the nests of House Finches (Hill 1993). No brood parasitism was observed during the Atlas Project.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 57 (4.7%) of 1,207 blocks

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