Purple Finch, adults Watercolor (14" x 18") Julie Zickefoose (1998)

House Finch, adults Watercolor (14" x 18") Julie Zickefoose (1998)

Of these sparrow-sized, heavy-billed, seed-eaters the House Finch may be the most common suburban bird in the West, foraging in all strata except for tall grass and heavy undergrowth. In contrast, the Purple Finch is less common, less often a ground-feeder, less gregarious, and more likely to restrict itself to wooded areas.

Stanford Note: Although both finches can be found in a variety of habitats throughout campus, the abundant, resident House Finch is frequently found nesting on human-built structures, such as planters and the eaves of buildings, while the Purple Finch, an uncommon and irregular migrant who may stay the winter, is occasionally seen at feeders or foraging on fruits and seeds in the Arboretum.