House Finches (haemorhous mexicanus) are native to Mexico and the southwestern US. They were introduced to New York City in the early 20th century, when vendors illegally imported them to sell as caged pets. They marketed them as “Hollywood Finches”. To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 vendors and owners released their birds “into the wild” in 1940. From there, they have multiplied and spread all over the US and parts of southern Canada, nesting mainly in urban and suburban settings. They do not migrate, so are year round residents. They compete with, and in some areas have supplanted Cassin’s Finches, Purple Finches and House Sparrows. House Sparrows are also non-native. They were also introduced to Hawaii about 1870. They are now present on all of its islands.
I painted this pair, male and female, just as I saw them perched on our shed roof. A whole flock of them nests across 5th Street from us, in our granddaughters’ yard.
Family: Finches
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