HOUSE FINCHES

Identification
House finches ( Carpodacus mexicanus ), also known as linnets, are about the same size as house sparrows. Males are brownish with a bright red breast, forehead, rump, and stripe over the eye. They also have narrow dark stripes on the flanks and belly. Females are sparrowlike , with a plain head, streaked underparts , and no eye stripe. House finches have a warbling song, frequently ending in harsh, nasal notes. Their chirp is similar to that of a house sparrow.

Range
House finches are abundant residents throughout the western United States and Mexico . They are becoming common in the East and are spreading into the central United States . They are most numerous on the valley floors and in the foothills of California , wherever food and water are available. Though house finches are classified along with other finches as migratory nongame birds under federal law, authorities agree that they are relatively nonmigratory . In late summer they move into the higher mountains and have been observed at elevations as high as 9,800 feet (3,000 m). They are generally resident birds and most of those in valley districts spend their lives within a few miles of the place where they were hatched.

Habitat
The house finch is most abundant in the warm valleys of California near cultivated lands. Human development has created extensive favorable habitat including hedgerows, field edges, and crop fields.

Food Habits
House finches are primarily seed eaters, and before the introduction of cultivated fruits, they probably lived largely on weed seeds. Stomach analyses by Beal in 1910 indicated that weed seeds totaled 86.2% of the diet, fruit 10.5%, animal matter 2.4%, and miscellaneous 0.8%.

General Biology, Reproduction, and Behavior
House finches nest in a great variety of places. There are few areas in which they cannot find suitable nesting sites. In the southern portion of California , nesting begins in March. It extends to July in colder areas. House finches have adapted well to the presence of humans. Females will build nests in almost any sheltered spot, including eaves and building ledges. Any soft material is used, including fine twigs and grasses. Four to 5 eggs are laid and they hatch in 12 to 16 days. Age at first flight is 11 to 19 days. Two broods are commonly raised, often in the same nest.

During the nesting period, adults are widely scattered. As summer progresses, groups of young birds and a few adults band together to feed in the general area in which they were reared. These bands grow larger as additional broods of young and their parents join them. By mid-August most of the young are out of the nest and have joined neighborhood bands. These flocks move about local areas, following the developmental succession and ripening of fruits and seeds.

During late August and well into late autumn, the range of flock movement increases. By December the birds are generally settled in areas that offer favorable food and roosting shelter. They remain in their winter habitat from December until late February or early March.

Damage and Damage Identification
House finches peck and feed on practically all deciduous fruits, berries, grains, vegetable seed, and flower seed. Damage involves feeding on ripening fruit such as apple, apricot, avocado, blackberry, cherry, fig, grape, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, prune, raspberry, and strawberry; buds of almonds, apricot, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, and prune; seeds of broccoli, lettuce, milo , and sunflower; and miscellaneous vegetable, flower, and tomato plantlets. They also detach the bracts of fruit buds and eat the buds; at blossom time they knock off flower petals and eat the embryonic fruits.

Damage occurs to ripening fruits during three periods:

1. Early season (damage by nesting adults).
2. Mid to late season (damage by young and adult birds resident in the locality).
3. Winter (damage to late ripening fruit by flocks of birds gathering in their winter habitat).

Debudding of fruit trees can occur in October or November but becomes most prevalent in January. A relatively small resident flock of house finches can completely debud considerable acreage because of their long period of activity. This damage is typically caused by resident local birds, wintering birds, or migratory flocks moving from one range to another.

Legal Status
Horned larks are classified as migratory nongame birds in the Code of Federal Regulations. Depredation permits are required from the US Fish and Wildlife Service before any control activities can be initiated. Horned larks may be controlled in California , under general supervision of the county agricultural commissioner.

Damage Prevention and Control Methods

Exclusion
Cover crops with plastic netting.

Habitat Modification
Remove cover used for nesting and resting.

Frightening
Av-Alarms® and gas cannons have been somewhat effective.
Avitrol ®.

Repellents
Capsicum

Toxicants
None are registered or currently available for use.

Trapping
Use culvert traps or foot snares; for bait use only wild animal road kills and scents.

Shooting
Limited effectiveness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The above information was adapted from PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WILDLIFE DAMAGE with permission of the editors, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Robert M. Timm, and Gary E. Larson (Cooperative Extension Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control, Great Plains Agricultural Council Wildlife Committee).