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Wildlife
- Birds - |
Purple Finch
(Carpodacus purpureus) M/B |
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RANGE: Breeds from northern British Columbia,
southern Yukon, and northern and central Alberta east to central
Ontario and Newfoundland south to Baja California, and, east of
the Great Plains, to central Minnesota, northern Ohio, West
Virginia, and southeastern New York. Winters from southwestern
British Columbia south to Baja California, and from southern
Manitoba east to Newfoundland, south to Texas, the Gulf Coast,
and Florida.
STATUS: Common.
HABITAT: Generally inhabits coniferous forest edge, open mixed
woodlands, and evergreen plantations. Also occurs in conifers in
parks and residential areas. In winter, commonly congregates
around houses with feeding stations, roosting in dense
evergreens or thickets. Strongest nesting habitat
associations in (1) Douglas-fir/white oak forest, (2) Red alder,
(3) Mixed conifer/mixed deciduous forest, (4) Siskiyou mountains
mixed deciduous forest, (5) White oak forest, (6) South Coast
mixed forest, and (7) Western riverine woodland.
NEST: In the East, places nest on a horizontal branch of a
conifer, especially spruce, but occasionally in a deciduous tree
or shrub. In the West, commonly nests in both deciduous and
coniferous trees, preferably near water. Often locates nest near
tree tops, up to 40 feet above the ground.
FOOD: During winter and spring, primarily eats seeds, while in
late spring and summer adds insects and wild and cultivated
fruits to diet. Gleans much of its food from the branches of
trees and shrubs.
REFERENCES: Adamus et al. 2001, Bent 1968a, DeGraff et al. 1980,
Forbush and May 1955, Johnsgard 1979, Miller 1999, Shunk 2004. |
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