Building a Birdhouse for the Purple Finch

Wild birds thrive in their natural habitats. However, many have also lived in artificial structures like bird houses especially which provide a regular supply of food and water.

The purple finch breeds mostly in North America from northern British Columbia, northern Alberta, central Manitoba, southern Quebec and Newfoundland in Canada as well as from south to northern New Jersey, central Minnesota, along the Pacific Coast to Baja California. In winter, they migrate from Nova Scotia, southern Ontario and southern British Columbia to the southern part of the U.S.

Purple finches mainly breed in coniferous forests and suburban locations, orchards and deciduous forests. They like nesting in evergreens although they would sometimes pick deciduous trees or hedges as high as 60 feet.

An ideal birdhouse for purple finches is one made of wood. Thick wood such as pine, cedar or redwood is best because it can stand varying weather conditions and other elements and lasts long. Make sure, though, that you don’t get the pressure-treated wood which contains chemicals harmful to birds. Avoid using paint as well in the interior as it is toxic.