FAMILY FringillidcB 



Although partially migratory, large num- 

 bers of the purple finch remain all winter in 

 the more northern parts of its range, and in 

 severely cold weather it is one of the common- 

 est birds at the feeding shelf. 



The wine purple on head and neck and the 

 pinkish wash on breast and rump will dis- 

 tinguish the purple finch from all other 

 sparrow-like birds in its range. The female 

 and young of the year are gray and brownish 

 lengthwise-streaked birds without distinct 

 field marks. It seems to take two or three 

 years for the male bird to acquire its full 

 breeding plumage, which varies all the way 

 from deeply colored hues on some birds to 

 barely a purplish trace on others. 



p Cassin purple finch, Carpodacus 

 cassim. o.(o 



Distribution: Western United States from 

 the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains to 

 the Pacific Coast, and from British Columbia 

 to Mexico. Wintering from central Califor- 

 nia and southern Arizona south over the 

 Mexican plateau. 



The Cassin purple finch is practically 



unknown west of the Cascades, in the interior 



valleys in the more northern parts of its 



range, although common in eastern Washing- 



90 



