Hello little bird up on a branch, with your little red bib matching the winter buds of the red maple tree.

I think you are a House Finch… is this so? You are a bit more orangey-red than the raspberry red of a Purple Finch, with brown and white stripes on your belly.

House Finches have blurry grayish streaking on the belly and flanks, unlike either Cassin’s Finch or Purple Finches. Bill shape is distinctive for House Finches: it’s fairly blunt, and rounded, without a sharp tip.

A pose! so I can get a good look.

Tricky bird IDs: Cassin’s Finch, House Finch, Purple Finch

Yes, I am counting you a House Finch for my Project Feederwatch count days this week, Sunday and Monday. You visited Sunday. It snowed overnight, bringing more birds Monday.

I think I saw a female House Finch too, but I wasn’t sure enough to include her in the count.

The count for January 17-18:

Mourning Dove 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 5
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 5
Black-capped Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Eastern Bluebird 3
European Starling 1
American Tree Sparrow 6
Dark-eyed Junco 6
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 5