How To Attract House Finches

House finch: a small bird with male's exhibiting a bright red head, have an engaging song of "cheet cheet cheet." They are a common bird throughout the west and have now spread into the eastern United States. They thrive in urban settings and are easily attracted to backyard gardens with the right food and habitat. Once a spot is discovered by house finches, 50 or more individuals may visit regularly or even set up residence in a backyard.

Things You'll Need

• Seed
• Bird feeder
• Plants
• Bird bath

Instructions

1. Hang a seed feeder in the backyard. There are many styles of bird feeders; house finches like tube and house-style feeders.

2. Fill the feeder with a variety of fresh seeds that house finches like. House finches will readily eat sunflower, rapeseed, and thistle seed. The seed should not have any bugs in it.

3. Hang potted plants off of patios. House finches will often nest in these.

4. Include shrubs, trees and other plants in your landscaping that house finches find attractive. They will hide in thick shrubs and eat a variety of natural seeds, fruits and flowers such as fig, pear and dandelion.

5. Set up a bird bath with moving water. Finches will be more attracted to water if they can hear the water moving.

References

• "Finches and Sparrows: An Identification Guide;" Peter Clement, Alan Harris and John Davis; 1993
• Audubon: Choosing a feeder
• Audubon: Selecting Seeds

Resources

• All About Birds: Choosing a Bird Feeder
• All About Birds: House Finch