Does anyone out there know of House Finches nesting in the winter?
It seems unthinkable to me, I have never heard of such however I am aware
that certain passerines do nest in the winter such as; Gray Jay and
Crossbills. However, a woman in the area (Vancouver Island) has reported
to me that a fledged house finch visited her feeder for a few days. It had
gray downy feathers along its flanks and it exhibited juvenile behaviours.

It seems to me rather extraordinary since passering birds, particularly
those that migrate, depend upon daylength cues to trigger not only migration
but also the growth of the gonads. Non-migrating passerines have perhaps
less of a need to shrink the gonads on the offseason and those that feed on
seeds would have a food source available. Is this off-the-wall or what?

Please post responses or send them directly to dcecile at cln.etc.bc.ca

perplexed; just when you think you know something, you realise that you
really know nothing at all...

Don Cecile
Don Cecile
Mount Klitsa Jr. Secondary School
5100 Tebo Road
Port Alberni, BC, CANADA V9Y 5Y6
eMAIL: dcecile at cln.etc.bc.ca * Phone: 1+604+723-8195
Home Phone: 1-604-723-4816