skip to main content

Do finches migrate?

16 years ago

Do finches migrate? I had about 7 finches on my feeder today and it's the most I've had. I'm in zone 7, Northern VA and wonder if they will be staying or just moving through the area.

Featured Answer

lazypup

16 years ago

I am not certain about other Finches but as a rule the American Gold Finch tends to stay in the same region year around however they undergo a rather remarkable color change from summer to winter.

In their summer or "Breeding Plumage" the males are bright yellow with black wings and are commonly called wild canaries.

In winter the males have a smooth chocolate brown color with black wings and are often mistaken for sparrows.

I am attaching some photos that I took while living in N. E. Ohio (Youngstown, Oh) which has climatic conditions quite similar to N. Virginia.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

donald lucius
16 years ago
here my situation is probably different from yours. I live in the foothills and the mountains are only a short distance away to the north and the river valleys and canyons just south of here. The finches show up in early spring and nest close by and have several broods of young ones..They take off for the mountains during the hot summers up into fall. And they come back thru here in fall and move down into the lower elevations during winter and the snows to return again in the spring
lisa11310
16 years ago
I dont know why but some do and some dont. I have lots of Gold Finches here year round but I have a very large flock that gathers every winter. Seeing 30 or 40 at a time is usual for spring to fall but well over 100 in the winter.
Related Discussions
Do yellow finch eat Coneflower petals?
Q
Comments (4)
Possibly japanese beetles. I have lots of coneflowers and lots of eaten petals, but this happens every year. It doesn't really bother me all that much so I just never bothered to investigate. I do know that earwigs are always on the coneflowers at night, and while I personally don't think they do any damage, others would disagree and just might be the culprit. Since the goldfinches are all over the coneflowers, maybe they're simply ripping the petals with their feet.
...See More
Do buzzards migrate?
Q
Comments (20)
Usually in our Governors Club neighborhood in Chapel Hill the Turkey Vultures sit at least hundreds of feet above the community on the power towers that run through the core of the neighborhood. Only coming down in 2's or 3's to fight over a dead squirrel in the street. However, this morning I was unpleasantly surprised to see fifty or sixty had gathered around my property circling and settling on my roof and trees. They are so large when they passed a window it would go dark. I had assumed all morning they were hawks. I was then horrified to find hundreds of them later in the day (about 5:00 PM est) all over my roof and trees as well as my next door neighbors roof and trees. Hoping a deer had died attracting them (and not my neighbors) I went to check in her. Unfortunately no one was home. I called the Property Management Office to come find out what had died (and fix it), but apparently after 5 on a Friday they have no interest in Vulture infestations. Walkers and joggers had been stopping at the end of our steep cliff like driveway with worried looks on their faces probably thinking the same thing I was, had some mass murder happened up here?? What could possibly require the attraction of this many Turkey Vultures?? As soon as the sunset they finally stopped increasing in number and started disappearing. I'm hoping it was a migration and not something very large and dead nearby. Thank you for all the posts. I feel slightly better they cannot fly at night or someone said. Knowing they have limitations makes me feel a little better. I tried to attach several pics of them all, but I was only allowed one pic upload.
...See More
How fast do these guys migrate?
Q
Comments (3)
In my experience it can take forever. Some worms will migrate; many will not. I've tried this method and even 6 months later found many hundreds of worms in the side that is not being fed. However, I believe other people's worms do migrate as advertised. If anyone has a theory why it works for some and not others, I would love to hear it! Good luck with yours!
...See More
Finch feeder that keeps of house finches?
Q
Comments (1)
mine was a plastic tube feeder with plastic perches about 1 1/2 inches long and almost any of the birds were perching on it. I took a hack saw and cut the perches off so they were just over 1/2 inch long. it stopped all the birds except the siskins and finches from perching. Last fall a hungry bear tore the feeder down and broke it, I'll have to buy another next spring. and hang it higher.
...See More
koszta_kid
16 years ago
We have finches year round. My cat Mattie Mae lays right by window. They don't mind her. Got nice picture of her doing it.
jacqui.kam
16 years ago
I am in South France and they certainly do. Green finches, occasional and very rare bullfinches and some gold finches appear on the feeders. Chaffinches seem to be about most of the year.
georgia_kate
16 years ago
i would say yes. last winter i had tons of them, but i have yet to see a single one in spring or summer. i never see them w/ the beautiful yellow! :(
callalilykris
16 years ago
I feed them nyjer seed and they are at my feeders year round, particularly in winter, here in Zone 5. I love them and can't wait to see their color change in spring.
litholad
16 years ago
Here in Texas, we have Goldfinches and House Finches year around. Purple Finches in the winter.
deanie1
16 years ago
I don't think our goldfinches here in Southeastern TN migrate. But they sure do change colors. We leave our finch feeder up year round.

How would I know what zone I am in -- is it the same as gardening zones?

Georgia_Kate -- what part of Georgia? You're probably not all that different from me.

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: Meet Some Clever and Curious Jays

By Habitat Network

Boisterous jays provide plenty of backyard bird-watching in winter. Here’s how to identify all the varieties and welcome them into your yard

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Invite Entertaining Hummingbirds Into Your Garden

By Habitat Network

Hummingbirds — unique to the Americas — zip through open landscapes seasonally or year-round. Here’s how to attract them

GARDENING GUIDES 13 North American Backyard Birds to Know

By Annie Thornton

Find out about these enchanting native species and learn how to attract them to your yard

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning

By Alison Hodgson

Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It's invasive, a nonnative and a poor insect magnet. Check out these better alternatives to butterfly bush in the garden

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Northern Cardinals in the Snow, and Other Red Birds

By Habitat Network

Brilliant crimson feathers make these friends stand out in a crowd

FALL GARDENING 7 Reasons Not to Clean Up Your Fall Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you pluck and rake, consider wildlife, the health of your plants and your own right to relax

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Be a Citizen Scientist to Help Wildlife, Learn and Have Fun Too

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Track butterflies, study birds, capture stars ... when you aid monitoring efforts, you’re lending Mother Nature a hand

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life

By Mary Jo Bowling

How Sharon Sorenson created a wildlife haven and became the Bird Lady of Southern Indiana

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Steps to Creating Your Butterfly Garden

By Debbie Ballentine

Encourage these fanciful winged beauties to visit your garden while helping restore their fragmented habitat

Sponsored

More Discussions

ID OWL IN S.E. MICHIGAN z5b

0