Purple Finch
(Haemorhous purpureus)

Overview

Summary

© Dan Busby
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The Purple Finch is a widespread and common species of Canada's coniferous and mixed woodlands. Breeding Bird Survey results indicate the population has shown a moderate decrease relative to the early 1970s, though it has stabilised at this lower level since the mid-1990s. The species' population is somewhat cyclical (Wootton 1996), with fluctuations likely reflecting the availability of coniferous cone crops. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Population status

Population estimate

Distribution maps

• BirdLife International / NatureServe
• Breeding Bird Survey (BBS): Relative Abundance and Breeding Distribution (1993-2012)

Migration strategy, occurrence

Responsibility for conservation of world population

Conservation and management

Population fluctuations are likely due to the cyclical availability of food sources, such as seed crops, but may also be influenced, both positively and negatively, by local forest management operations (Wootton 1996). Some logging practices can be beneficial because the Purple Finch prefers open wooded habitats. However, extensive clear-cutting will reduce its habitat (Wootton 1996). Purple Finch populations in the eastern portion of their range are also affected by competition from expanding House Finch populations (Wootton 1987).

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

• conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
• stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
• management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
• other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

References

• Wootton, J.T. 1987. Interspecific competition between introduced house finch populations and two associated passerine species. Oecologia 71:325-331. Wootton, J.T. 1987. Interspecific competition between introduced house finch populations and two associated passerine species. Oecologia 71:325-331. (Link)
• Wootton, J.T. 1996. Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Wootton, J.T. 1996. Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)