Nesting Sights

It is that time of year when local birds are singing to claim their territory and to attract mates. Once they have both, the nest building begins! This is a picture of a House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) nest that is in the beginning stages. Every year since we have lived here a pair of House Finches has built a nest in this very location.

The House Finch is originally from southwestern United States and Mexico. In 1940 a small number of finches were turned loose on Long Island, New York. They quickly started breeding, and then spread across the entire eastern United States and southern Canada within the next 50 years! It is now a common backyard bird and is often found eating at birdfeeders. The House Finch eats a mostly plant based diet including buds, seeds, and fruits. Those who have bird feeders know the finches’ preference for small sunflower seeds over millet.

Before the breeding season begins, females choose their males to pair with; this is called a pair bond. Some pair bonds last all year and into the next breeding season, while other pair bonds can end after a first nesting attempt is unsuccessful. During the breeding season the female will choose the nesting location. The nest is an open cup of fine grass stems, forbs, leaves, rootlets, thin twigs, string, wool, and feathers, lined with similar but finer material. They often place their nests in birdhouses, building ledges, hanging plants, and other crevices. The female lays a clutch of 4 eggs and will nest more than once during a breeding season.

This is a picture of a House Finch nest from last spring; it was in a hanging fern basket that hung underneath the carport.

I will keep an eye on this nest and will post updates throughout the breeding season!

To learn more about House Finches visit: www.birds.cornell.edu

To learn more about the breeding birds visit the North American Breeding Bird Survey: www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/

References:

Hill, G. E. 1993. House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). In The Birds of North America, No. 46 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists’ Union.