House Finch vs Purple Finch: What Are The Differences?

purple finch (Purple blood nematode) and house sparrow (Mexican Schistosoma) are two of the most confusing birds in North America.

Not only do house finches live in houses, but they share much of their range with purple finch, which isn’t really purple at all! Both have similar colors and both belong to the same genus Haemorhous. However, if you know what to look for, there are some noticeable differences between these two birds. Here’s a guide to identifying house finch and purple finch.

First, the red/scarlet plumage of the male purplish finch is darker, all the way around the chest, head and back. The color itself is raspberry red or deep pink. In contrast, house finches are slightly less intensely red, and their coloration is mostly confined to the head, eyebrows, and upper breast.

Neither female finch has this colored plumage, but the female purple finch has prominent head markings, while the female house finch has fewer markings.

The house finch is sedentary and does not tend to migrate, while the purple finch is migratory and lives in the northernmost part of Canada, the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories. House sparrows are found throughout most of the continental United States. Purple finches migrate to the eastern United States and the Pacific coast, which is when they are most likely to be seen with house finches.

Finches are easily confused, and comparing the house finch to the purple finch is a common question among American backyard birders. Read on to learn more about the differences between these doubles!

purple finch

house sparrow

Which is bigger: the house finch or the purple finch?

House finches and purple finch are similar in size and weight. Purple finch is slightly larger and heavier, and usually has a heavier build.

purple finch measurement

The purple finch is about 12 to 16 centimeters (4.7 to 6.3 inches) long and has a wingspan of about 22 to 26 centimeters (8.7 to 10.2 inches). They weigh approximately 18 to 32 grams (0.6 to 1.1 oz).

house sparrow measurement

House finches are about 12.5 to 15 centimeters (5 to 6 inches) long and have a wingspan of about 20 to 25 centimeters (8 to 10 inches). They weigh between 16 and 27 grams (0.56 and 1 ounce).

Purple finch perched on a branch

Which is more common, the house sparrow or the purple finch?

House finches have a much wider range than purple finch, and their numbers are much larger.

Current estimates suggest that there are approximately 267 million to 1.7 billion house finches. A conservative estimate from Partners in Flight is around 40 million birds.

Purple finches are still common, but not as common as house finches. Partners in Flight estimates about 6.4 million people.

The house finch is definitely more common than the purple finch, and you’re more likely to see it, especially if you live in a town or city.

House finches are usually the more common birds

What is the distribution range of house finch and purple finch?

house sparrow

House finches occupy most of the United States, some areas of Mexico, and a small part of southern Canada. They were more common in the western United States until the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, when they began to spread rapidly in the eastern United States as well.

They now occupy the eastern and western United States, but are less common in eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota. House finches have a wide range of habitats, from forested lowlands to deserts, cities, and coastal areas.

purple finch

Purple finch spread further north into parts of Canada, especially the Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory in western Canada. However, they also extend into Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

During the winter, they migrate to much of the eastern United States and are common in the Great Lakes region and the northeastern United States, where they mingle with house finches. On the West Coast, they also migrate along the Pacific Northwest, which is where they may be seen with house finches. Purple finch is hard to see in most interior states of the western United States.

close up of a purple finch

Other Differences Between House Finch and Purple Finch

feather

Both finches have similar red/pink/scarlet breasts and heads. However, the purple finch’s red feathers extend across most of its body and back.

In general, purple finches are the darker and more colorful (as far as the males are concerned) of the two birds. Also, house finches have white wing bars, while purple finch do not.

House finches have striped brown undersides, but these have no pigment. Purple finch has some markings on its underside, but it’s brown rather than red.

The house finches have the longer tails of the two birds, but they are otherwise similar.

In some cases, house finches molt and become more yellow or orange, losing most of their red color. In contrast, the purple finch does not change color as dramatically as the house finch, nor does it turn yellow or orange.

House sparrow perched on a branch

shape and size

Purple finches are slightly larger, and they are generally considered slightly stockier and heavier.

It depends on where you are and what time of year it is, as both birds puff out their feathers in cold weather. Overall, purple finch does appear to be slightly larger (and it is). Also, house finches have a slightly rounded head, giving them a more rounded appearance overall.

bill

Both birds have the distinctive conical finch beak. However, the mouth of House finches is slightly more compact and curved.

Female (left) and male (right) Purple Finch

call/voice

In general, purple finches have long calls, while house finches are more lively.

Purple finch calls are softer and calmer, while house sparrow calls alternate between high and low notes. House sparrow songs are usually short; about 1 to 4 seconds long, with 4 to 30 syllables.

The purple finch’s song lasted longer. Female purple finch has an unusual song that lasts 1 to 2 minutes, whereas female house finches generally don’t sing for very long.

Since there is a lot of crossover, and birds from different regions have slightly different songs, it can be difficult to distinguish these birds individually.

Behavior

Purple finches are calmer when feeding and are less talkative than house finches.

While both birds are largely sociable, purple finches can become very solitary throughout the breeding season and summer, while house finches are more tolerant of each other and other birds.

Both birds are capable of territorial aggression, but the house finches are much less territorial overall than the purple finch. The house sparrow is timid and sociable among the finches, while the purple finch is more headstrong and aggressive.

Female (left) and male (right) house finches

Nesting and Habitat

Both birds nest in coniferous and deciduous forests, but house finches are very good at nesting among desert cacti, and are more likely to nest in buildings too (as the house finches are named for! ).

Purple finches also nest in buildings, but they prefer dense lowland forests. House finches are definitely better suited to urban environments and are more adaptable to habitat. Purple finch is more “wild” and prefers unspoiled woodlands.

If you live in a city, you’re less likely to see purple finch, and house finches are common in urban environments. The house finch is a flexible type, which is why it is common and expanding in the United States.

house sparrow feeding

feed

Both finches feed primarily on seeds, berries, and other vegetation, mixed with some insects and invertebrates during the breeding season. House finches usually only eat very small insects, such as aphids, while purple finch eats larger insects, such as spiders and beetles.

migrant

The purple finch is often migratory, with populations in the northeastern United States and Canada moving south in winter, often settling the eastern United States and the Pacific Northwest coastline.

House sparrows rarely migrate, but some northern flocks do migrate south in winter. Migration of house finches depends on the weather, while purple finch tends to migrate annually. There are some perennial populations of purple finch along the Pacific coast, the Great Lakes region, and southeastern Canada.

Female House Finch vs Female Purple Finch

The females of both finches are not as brightly colored as the males. Instead, both are predominantly light brown with striped plumage.

Male purple finches have red/scarlet breasts, while females have striped brown plumage. Male house finches have stripes on their breasts and breasts, but females have much less stripes.

As such, a female purplish finch can often be identified by its distinct brown striped plumage. They also have white markings above each eye, and their faces contrast with their chests. Female house finches do not have a particularly well-defined pattern and have similar patterns all over their bodies.

female house finches

purple finch

Behavior

Female house finches are known to be dominant over males, but females incubate and brood while males feed. Females also choose nesting sites. Male house finches also engage in courtship feeding, meaning they bring food to females during mating and breeding season.

House sparrows and purple finch are at least seasonally monogamous. Some may stay with their mates for consecutive seasons, especially if they have raised a successful offspring.