While the Purple Finch is a short-distance migrant, the subspecies show different migratory patterns: The western subspecies is an altitudinal migrant, similar to the Dark-eyed Junco and Western Tanager, while the eastern migrates in irruptive patterns as discussed above. The western subspecies is a bit less colorful and sings somewhat faster than its eastern counterpart. There are two Purple Finch subspecies, one found in the East and across much of Canada, and the other along the Pacific Coast region. These birds depend upon small mammals such as lemmings, which, like conifer cone supplies, also often follow boom-and-bust cycles. Some boreal-breeding raptors, such as the Northern Saw-whet and Snowy Owls, also range south in irregular, irruptive movements. Other species prone to food-driven irruptions include the Pine Siskin and Evening Grosbeak. These movements, called "irruptions," are different from regular migrations and are likely triggered by a poor crop of conifer seeds, an important food source for the finches, in the north. Some years, including 2020, eastern birders note large numbers of Purple Finches moving into their areas. This marked difference between the sexes' appearances, known as sexual dimorphism, is seen in many other bird species including the Black-throated Blue Warbler and the Juan Fernández Firecrown, a rare hummingbird. The female Purple Finch has streaky brown-and-white plumage and a strong facial pattern, with none of the bright raspberry color of the male. Its underparts are light with blurry red streaks, and the rump shows another splash of raspberry red. The male Purple Finch is purplish-red on its head, upperparts, and breast. Its genus name, Haemorhous, is slightly less appetizing, as “ haemo” is Greek for blood, but it accurately describes the reddish-purple shades of this songbird and its North American relatives, the widespread House Finch and the Mountain West's Cassin's Finch. ![]() ![]() Described by American ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson as "a finch dipped in raspberry juice," the male Purple Finch is a treat for any birder to see.
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