![Male purple finch foraging on a bush](https://northlouisianawildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/purple-finch-male-ruston132-1600x900.jpg)
Did you know that male purple finches can hop as high as a foot?
Purple Finches
at
a Glance
![Male purple finch looking out from his perch on a bare bush branch](https://northlouisianawildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/purple-finch-male-ruston118-1600x900.jpg)
Key Features:
Male purple finches have red-brown backs with pinkish bellies. Females are brown with white streaks.
Least Concern - Population Decreasing
Habitat:
Forests
nesting habits:
Purple finches are territorial during breeding season. They build cup-shaped nests made of grass, hair, roots, sticks, and twigs.
seasons purple finches are active in our area:
Winter
Diet:
Berries, buds, insects, nectar, seeds
hunting Behavior:
Purple finches forage in trees, on shrubs, in weeds, and on the ground. They forage in flocks outside of nesting season.
commonly confused with:
Pine siskins
![Pine siskin foraging on a dead plant](https://northlouisianawildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/pine-siskin-ruston_22-1600x900.jpg)
Female purple finches are often confused with pine siskins because they are both brown with streaks.
![Pine siskin foraging](https://northlouisianawildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/pine-siskins-ruston3-1598x900.jpg)
Pine siskins have light yellow on their wings and female purple finches do not.