Cassin's Finch

Overview

Cassin's Finch inhabits montane coniferous forest across the western United States and parts of Canada and Mexico, generally at higher elevations than the closely related House Finch and Purple Finch. Males show a distinctly capped appearance, with the reddest color concentrated on the crown.

It can be confused with its relatives where ranges overlap, requiring attention to head pattern and shape.

Feather Identification

• Crown: bright rosy-red, sharply demarcated from the brown-streaked nape and back.
• Breast: pale pink wash, less saturated than the crown color.
• Back: brown with distinct dark streaking.
• Tail: notched, longer and more sharply forked than in House Finch.

The sharply contrasting rosy cap against a brown back, plus a more sharply notched tail, helps distinguish Cassin's Finch from the more uniformly reddish Purple Finch and the browner-headed House Finch.

Plumage Notes

Breeding males show the brightest rosy crown and pink breast wash. Females and immature males lack any red, showing brown upperparts with crisp streaking and a whitish underparts with fine streaks, along with a distinct facial pattern including a pale eye-ring and dark mustache mark.

A single annual molt follows breeding, with plumage remaining fairly stable afterward given limited additional seasonal change.

Habitat & Range

This species is found in coniferous forest of mountainous regions across the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico, generally at higher elevations than related finches.

Some populations make local elevational movements, descending to lower elevations in winter, though the species is not a long-distance migrant.

Behavior & Field Notes

Cassin's Finches forage in trees and on the ground for seeds, buds, and insects, often in flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixing with other finches at feeders in mountain communities.

The nest is built in conifer branches. The song is a rich, varied warble, often incorporating mimicry of other bird sounds. The sharply capped red crown and notched tail are the most useful features for separating males from other red finches.