Last week those gorgeous little purple finches moved through our territory and stopped in for repeated visits to the sunflower bird feeders in our yard.
If you’ve never seen these darlings, they look like small brown birds whose heads have been dipped into and stained by a wine, fuschia clothing dye. They are striking, either alone or in small flocks as they light into a tree and have a quick bite to eat on their way to find suitable nesting sites and raise this year’s young.
A few years back we had a few wild cats around our property for about a week. They couldn’t be caught and I knew they’d move on if they didn’t find a food source here so we took measures to ensure that the wild bird feeders were well out of reach.
But before those cats moved on, one of those pretty purple finches was knocked out by the reflection of my truck window parked in the driveway.
He was most certainly in shock and even though they usually come to in a few moments if let be, I scooped him up and placed him in a care cage with a towel over the top to ensure he wasn’t further shocked when he came around.
I’ve done this before with our chickadee visitors (not too often), but most are tame enough here to land on your shoulder or hand to feed.
But when the purple finch came around I was shocked! I’ve never heard such a racket from a wild bird!
When that little finch came to, about 5 minutes later, he squawked and screamed so loud I thought for sure I’d have a migraine in minutes! He did not jump happily on my hand like the chickadees when it was time to set him back out into freedom. So, being careful not to stress him, I had to release the cage top and let him fly out.
The first time I saw these wild birds I wondered why they hadn’t been domesticated like other finches – they are so pretty. Having had one in my house for just a few minutes, now I know why!
Veronica
p.s. It is never advisable to capture wild birds in shock or otherwise and try to tame or keep them. The best course of action is to stand by (at a respectble distance) and ensure they’re safe until they ‘come to’. If you do have to touch a wild bird, use a towel, be very gentle and wash yourself very well after contact and release.
Filed in: Bird Specific, Wild Birds
Search by: wild bird feeders, purple finches, chickadee, wild bird
4 Comments Posted
Bobbie Wing
May 30th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
What is the best way to attract finches to start feeding from a feeder in which the finches are to eat unside down from the feeder in my backyard.
Thanks
Veronica
May 30th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
Bobbie:
Where are you located? Wild finches may not be present in your area right now.
If they are, and you’re getting some, but you want more to finches to visit, add a bird bath or dripper to your yard and you’ll get plenty more birds at the feeder as well!
see:
http://www.attractwildbirds.com/birdbaths/bird-bath-dripper.htm
Thanks for dropping me a note!
Veronica
Nancy Thompson
July 8th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I am looking for pictures of the black and yellow finches. I say the females are not black and yellow but look more like sparrows with a red head and red on their chests. Would love to see pictures of female and male yellow and black finches. Thanks.
The Bird Girl
July 11th, 2006 at 3:27 pm
Hi Nancy:
If you are in North America, you will not find a goldfinch with a speck of red on them anywhere. (I am sorry this sounds so stiff – for a technical reason I can not write this post with apostrophes.)
Not at any age, no matter male nor female.
Sometimes other finches will travel with goldfinches – which is where the confusion may come in – I often see the Purple Finches travelling with the American Goldfinches.
Again, it is all a matter of your location. There are other finches with red coloration in other parts of the Americas.
At any rate, there are only 3 Goldfinches in the US and Canada.
The Lesser Goldfinch – known in the south western states and Mexico. The female is not as striking as the male, but still quite pretty.
Lawrences Goldfinch – only found on the coast of California. The female does not have his black head, nor as much yellow through the wing tips.
The American Goldfinch – migrating throughout the USA and southern Canada. The female is simply a washed out version of the male – where he has black, she has grey.
I am hoping this helps clear up any confusion.
Veronica
http://www.attractwildbirds.com
p.s. There is a close up photo of a male American Goldfinch here as well as both males and females at the feeder on that page.