Finches of Minnesota

Minnesota has vast swatches of natural habitat where hundreds of animal species make their homes. Among these animals are numerous species of bird from song birds and water birds to hawks and finches. The state is the permanent and migratory home of several species of finches.

  1. Pine Grosbeak

    • The pine grosbeak is a large finch, growing to just under 10 inches long with a 13-inch wingspan. The bird winters in Minnesota with a few populations found year-round in the far north of the state. The male is a grayish-red bird with gray and white wings while the female is an olive-yellow with a gray stomach and blackish-brown wings.

    Purple Finch

    • The purple finch is a small bird, growing to just more than 6 inches long with a 10-inch wingspan. It is a migratory bird spending the summer in Canada and the far northern states, and wintering down as far south as central Texas. Populations of the purple finch are found in the state year-round either in the northern or southern regions. It resembles a common sparrow with the exception of light reddish plumage on the upper half of its body.

    House Finch

    • The house finch is a small bird, growing to just more than 5 inches with a wingspan of under 10 inches. It is found year-round only in the far southern parts of Minnesota. Its coloration is almost identical to the brown coloring of a sparrow except for a red breast and forehead.

    Red Crossbill

    • The red crossbill is a medium-sized finch, growing to just more than 7 inches long with a wingspan of more than 10 inches. It is found year-round in northern Minnesota and winters in the southern half of the state. It has a pinkish-red plumage over much of its body with dark brown wings and a curved beak. Females are olive green to gray in color.

    White-winged Crossbill

    • The white-winged crossbill is a medium-small bird just under 7 inches long with a wingspan of more than 10 inches. The species lives year-round in northern Minnesota and winters in the southern areas of the state. It has a mainly red body with black wings spotted with white. Females are olive-green to brown in color with darker colored wings and tail feathers.

    Common Redpoll

    • The common redpoll is a small finch species, growing to just more than 5 inches with a wingspan of just under 9 inches. The bird migrates from the far north of Canada and Alaska to Minnesota during the winter months. It has a brownish-white back with a white belly as well as red patches on the upper chest and forehead. Females have darker coloration than the males and no red patches.