>Hi Tweeters,
>
>I moved to Seattle one month ago from Illinois (originally from
>NJ). I am trying to familiarize myself with the Western bird
>species by starting with my feeders. The first birds to arrive
>were the finches. I think they are Cassins Finches. The males
>are light red and the females are brown streaked with no distinct
>eyebrow. Does this sound right to you? I live in Renton(Fairwood)
>Washington. Our neighborhood is residential with mostly tall
>conifers.
>
>Arlene Sopranzetti
>Renton, WA

Arlene, Cassin's Finches are quite rare in western Washington. The two red
finches around Renton are House (in urban and suburban settings, also open
country) and Purple (in forested areas, not so common in cities). Female
Purple Finches should easily be distinguished by their conspicuous whitish
"eyebrow," males because they are essentially reddish all over. Female
House Finches have no hint of the white supercilium. Male House Finches
are basically brown birds with bright red breast, supercilium, and rump.
House Finches are a little smaller, smaller-billed, and longer-tailed than
Purple Finches.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416