WHY ARE PURPLE FINCHES MORE ABUNDANT IN SOME YEARS AND NOT OTHERS?

Dec18

      The purple finch has long been special to me. This is because many years ago when I was in the fifth grade, my class took a field trip to a wildlife sanctuary operated by the National Audubon Society.  While there, I was captivated watching a purple finches banding operation. In fact, I vividly remember saying to myself, I am going to do that one day.  About two decades later, I became a wildlife biologist and banded my first purple finch.

      Since that time, I learned that the number of purple finches we see at our feeders during the winter here in Georgia fluctuate dramatically. Some years we see only a handful of them at our feeders.  Then every three years or so we see significantly more of them,

       While biologists do not fully understand while is behind these emigrations, it has become apparent that they are more likely to widely disperse during the winters following a seed crop failure on their breeding grounds.

       For the sake of those of us they enjoy watching these beautiful birds feeding on sunflower seeds in our backyards, I hope the winter of 2024-2025 is one of the infrequent years when a large number of purple finches winter in the South.

5 thoughts on “WHY ARE PURPLE FINCHES MORE ABUNDANT IN SOME YEARS AND NOT OTHERS?”

  1. Terry, I, too, hope to see many purple finches the next few months. This may be a year when we have emigration of pine siskins, also. Nice photograph of purple finches at the feeder. We have an unknown breed of hummingbird still around since early November.

    Reply

    • Here in Northwest Indiana, my backyard is literally infiltrated by Pine Siskins, and Juncos! I enjoy them so much! I have had to rescue one of each breed, as they tend to fly into the windows. Luckily, I have picked them up, as they sit, obviously stunned on the ground. They do not show fear when I cradle them in my hands. I will walk around for just a few minutes, and then after they start moving there little heads, and look around, I gently set them back on the ground, and to my amazement, and delight 😍, they have then flown off. The Pine Siskin, I noted, flew directly up to the eaves trough on the barn, so I think I learned where their habitat is. When the Junco flew away, it went over the roof of my house, and I did not see it’s destination. But I was just so very thankful, that both of them appeared to be okay.
      Does anyone have a suggestion as to what can be done to prevent them from flying into the windows?

      Reply

    • Purple finches and pine siskins have been scarce this year. I personally know of only siskins in the state. We picked one up on the Lake Blackshear Christmas count and another near McDonough. As for purple finches, I have heard of a few at feeders, and we picked up only 5 at the Piedmont NWR/Rum Creek WMA Christmas Count.

      Reply

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