While the Pacific Northwest is often associated with grey skies and evergreen forests, the region hosts a dazzling array of colorful songbirds that brighten the landscape. Among these, the various types of finches in Washington State stand out as some of the most vibrant and charismatic visitors to your backyard.
Whether you are watching a feeder in Seattle or hiking through the Cascades, you have the opportunity to spot these feathered jewels.
Identifying these birds can be a rewarding challenge. Some species are permanent residents, while others are “irruptive” migrants that descend from the north in unpredictable waves.
By learning the subtle differences in plumage, beak shape, and song, you can transform a casual glance out the window into a meaningful connection with local wildlife.
Key Insight: Many finches undergo significant plumage changes between seasons. The bright yellow bird you see in July might look like a drab olive-brown bird in January, even though it is the exact same individual.
Below is your guide to the ten specific finch species found across Washington, complete with identification tips and habitat preferences.
American goldfinch
The American goldfinch is likely the most recognizable finch in North America and a common sight across Washington’s lowlands, especially in summer. Often called the “wild canary,” the breeding male displays a brilliant lemon-yellow body with a stark black cap and wings, making him impossible to miss against green foliage.
However, you might find identifying them in winter slightly more tricky. In the colder months, both males and females molt into a muted olive-brown plumage. Despite this color change, you can still identify them by their conical bills and distinctive wing bars.
These birds are strictly granivorous (seed-eaters). If you want to attract them to your yard, specific feeder setups are required because their small beaks are perfectly adapted for tiny seeds rather than large sunflower seeds.
How to Attract American Goldfinches:
- Offer Nyjer (Thistle) Seed: Use a specialized tube feeder with small ports or a mesh sock feeder.
- Plant Native Sunflowers: Leave the seed heads on the plants through autumn.
- Provide Water: A shallow birdbath with a dripper will attract them for drinking and bathing.
House finch
If you have a bird feeder in Washington, you likely have House finches. These are adaptable, social birds that thrive in urban and suburban environments throughout the state. The males wash the backyard in color with their rosy-red heads and breasts, while the females are streaky brown, lacking the bright colors.
One fascinating aspect of the House finch is that the intensity of the male’s red coloration comes entirely from his diet. Males that consume more carotenoid-pigmented foods during molt will appear brighter red, while those with a poorer diet may look orange or even yellow.
Vocalization and Behavior
You will often hear the House finch before you see it. Their song is a jumbled, cheerful warble that often ends with a harsh “vree” or slur note. They are gregarious and will often crowd feeders, sometimes showing aggression toward other birds to secure a perch.
- Habitat: Cities, suburbs, farms, and scrublands.
- Diet: Seeds, buds, and fruits; highly attracted to black oil sunflower seeds.
- Identification Marker: Look for heavy brown streaking on the flanks (sides) of the belly, which helps distinguish them from other red finches.
Purple finch
Distinguishing the Purple finch from the House finch is one of the classic challenges for Washington birders. Despite the name, the male Purple finch is not truly purple; he is more of a rich, deep raspberry red.
A famous field guide description notes that the Purple finch looks like it was “dipped in raspberry juice,” whereas the House finch looks like the color was just painted on its face and breast.
In Washington, Purple finches are typically associated with moist coniferous forests and edge habitats rather than dense urban centers. You are more likely to see them in the Puget Sound lowlands near wooded areas.
Comparison: House Finch vs. Purple Finch
| Feature | House Finch | Purple Finch |
| Overall Color | Red/Orange focused on face and breast | Raspberry red over most of head and back |
| Flanks (Sides) | Heavily streaked with brown | Clean, faint, or no streaking |
| Head Shape | Round/flat head | Slight crest or peak often visible |
| Face Pattern | Plain red face | Brown ear patch behind eye (Females) |
| Bill Shape | Slightly curved culmen (upper ridge) | Straight, triangular culmen |
Pro Tip: If you see a “red finch” deep in a dense fir forest far from houses, double-check your field marks—it is more likely to be a Purple finch than a House finch.
Cassin’s finch
As you move upward in elevation into the dry, open pine forests of the Cascades and eastern Washington, the Cassin’s finch replaces the Purple finch. This species is a bird of the mountains and interior Ponderosa pine forests.
The male Cassin’s finch features a distinct crimson red cap that contrasts sharply with a paler neck and back. This “toupee” effect is a key identifier. They are slightly larger and longer-billed than the Purple finch. Their song is lively and complex, often including mimicry of other mountain birds, which can confuse even experienced listeners.
If you are hiking near Leavenworth or Spokane, keep an ear out for their rollicking songs. Unlike the House finch, the Cassin’s finch has crisp, fine streaks on its underparts.
- Range: Eastern Washington, Cascade slopes, and high-elevation forests.
- Behavior: Often feeds on the ground or high in conifers extracting seeds.
- Status: Populations are declining in some areas, making them a special find for birders.
Pine siskin
The Pine siskin is a spunky, nomadic finch that often descends upon Washington backyards in massive, noisy flocks. These small, streaky brown birds are distinguished by flashes of yellow in their wings and tail, which are most visible when they take flight.
Pine siskins are an “irruptive” species. This means their movements are dictated by the abundance of cone crops in the boreal forests. In some years, known as irruption years, thousands may flood Washington state in search of food. In other years, they may be almost entirely absent.
Feeder Dominance
Despite their small size, Pine siskins are feisty. They will frequently display aggression at feeders, opening their bills and spreading their wings to claim dominance over goldfinches.
Key Identification Traits:
- Very sharp, pointed bill (narrower than other finches).
- Heavy, dark streaking over the entire body.
- distinctive “watch-winding” call—a rising zzzzzzzt sound that is unmistakable once learned.
Important Note: Pine siskins are susceptible to Salmonellosis, a bacterial infection spread at feeders. If you see siskins that appear puffed up, lethargic, or approachable, take your feeders down immediately and clean them with a 10% bleach solution to prevent the spread of disease.
Evening grosbeak
The Evening grosbeak is one of the most striking and largest finches you can encounter in Washington. Roughly the size of a Starling, the male sports a spectacular plumage of mustard-yellow, black, and white, with a massive, pale conical bill that gives the bird its name.
Historically, these birds were common winter visitors to lowland feeders, but their numbers have declined significantly in recent decades, likely due to changes in logging practices and spruce budworm cycles (a primary food source). Seeing a flock today is a special event. They travel in noisy groups and can consume massive amounts of sunflower seeds in a single sitting.
Where to Look:
- Western Washington: Mixed coniferous forests, often around Bigleaf Maples where they eat the seeds.
- Eastern Washington: Ponderosa pine forests and riparian areas.
- Sound: Listen for their call, which sounds like a loud, piercing “clee-ip” or the chirp of a giant house sparrow.
Red crossbill
The Red crossbill is a marvel of evolutionary adaptation. As their name suggests, the tips of their mandibles cross over each other. This is not a deformity; it is a specialized tool designed to pry open the scales of conifer cones to extract the nutritious seeds inside.
In Washington, Red crossbills are residents of the coniferous forests, but they are highly nomadic. They move to wherever the cone crop is heaviest. You are most likely to see them flying in tight flocks calling jip-jip-jip or perched high in Douglas-firs or Hemlocks.
The “Type” Phenomenon
Ornithologists classify Red crossbills into different “Types” based on their flight calls. Each type specializes in different conifer cones:
- Type 3: Prefers Western Hemlock cones.
- Type 4: Prefers Douglas-fir cones.
- Type 2: Prefers Ponderosa Pine cones.
While they all look similar (males are brick-red, females olive-green), they are ecologically distinct. Watching a Red crossbill work a pine cone is a fascinating display of dexterity and specialized feeding behavior.
White-winged crossbill
While the Red crossbill is widespread, the White-winged crossbill is a rarer find in Washington, typically restricted to the high Cascades and northeastern corner of the state (like the Okanogan Highlands). They prefer Engelmann spruce and Tamarack forests.
Visually, they are distinct from their Red cousins. The male is a rosier, pink-red color, and both sexes display two bold, broad white wing bars that are visible even from a distance. Their crossed bill is thinner and more delicate than that of the Red crossbill, adapted for the smaller, softer cones of spruces and larches.
Finding White-winged Crossbills:
- Head North and Up: Look in the high-elevation forests of the North Cascades.
- Listen: Their call is a dry, rattling chet-chet-chet, often delivered in a long series.
- Check Irruptions: Like siskins, they occasionally move south in large numbers during winter when food supplies in Canada fail.
Common redpoll
The Common redpoll is a tiny, energetic finch of the high Arctic that visits Washington only during winter. They are birds of the cold, appearing in open fields, birch thickets, and weedy roadsides, particularly in Eastern Washington.
These birds are incredibly hardy, capable of surviving temperatures far below zero. Identification is relatively straightforward: look for a small, frosty-brown bird with a bright red patch on its forehead (the “poll”) and a black chin patch. Males may also show a pinkish wash on their breast.
Feeding Habits
Common redpolls are often seen feeding on catkins in birch or alder trees, hanging upside down like acrobats. At feeders, they behave similarly to Pine siskins and American goldfinches, favoring Nyjer seed and hulled sunflower chips.
Common Mistake: Confusing a Redpoll with a House Finch. Remember to check for the black chin patch and the specific red cap; House Finches lack the black chin and have red diffused over the whole face.
Lesser goldfinch (rare vagrant)
The Lesser goldfinch is traditionally a bird of the bright southwest and California, but its range has been slowly expanding northward. While still considered rare or a “vagrant” in many parts of Washington, sightings are becoming more frequent, particularly in Klickitat County and the southwestern lowlands near the Columbia River.
They are slightly smaller than the American goldfinch. The males in our region are “green-backed” (unlike the black-backed variety found in Texas), with a black cap and bright yellow underparts. The key distinction from the American goldfinch is the greenish back and the fact that they do not molt into a drab brown plumage in winter; they stay yellow year-round.
Identification Checklist:
- Back Color: Olive-green (males) vs. Yellow (American Goldfinch males in summer).
- Cap: Black cap extends past the eye.
- Call: A plaintive, descending whistle.
If you spot a goldfinch in Washington that seems “too yellow” for a winter American goldfinch, grab your binoculars—you might be looking at this expanding species establishing a new foothold in the state.
