330 Birds of Colorado 
H. G. Smith 85, p. 90; Morrison 88, p. 73; 89, p. 149; Lowe 94, p. 269; 
McGregor 97, p. 38; Cooke 97, pp. 96, 212; Henderson 03, p. 107 ; 
09, p. 235; Gilman 07, 156; Rockwell 08, p. 170; Warren 09, p. 16. 
Description,—Male—Crown rich rosy-red, back dull rosy-pink, the 
scapulars and upper-back with strongly marked darker centres to the 
feathers; the rump and upper tail-coverts without; wings and tail 
dusky, with pale pinkish edges to most of the wing-feathers ; below, 
the sides of the head, throat and chest dull rosy-pink, paling posteriorly 
to dirty white; a few inconspicuous streaks of brown on the flanks ; 
tail slightly forked; iris brown, bill dark blueish-horn, dusky flesh on the 
lower mandible, feet dusky brown. Length 5-75; wing 3-5; tail 
2-35; culmen -50; tarsus -68. 
The female is dusky grey above with an olive wash, sometimes very 
pronounced, streaked heavily with dusky brown; below, whitish, 
streaked throughout, including the under tail-coverts, with dusky ; 
young birds are practically indistinguishable from the females. 
Distribution.—Western North America from the eastern bases of the 
Rocky Mountains to the Pacific ; north to southern British Columbia ; 
south to Central Mexico, near Mexico City. 
In Colorado, Cassin’s Purple Finch is chiefly a resident, wintering 
along the eastern foothills and in the lower parks up to about 7,500 
feet, and ascending the mountains to breed at 7,000 to 11,000 feet 
elevations. A certain number of birds doubtless go further south to 
winter. The following are recorded summer localities: Estes Park 
(McGregor), Breckenridge (Carter), Twin Lakes, June (Scott), Hancock, 
July (Stone), South Park, July (Allen), San Juan co. (Drew), La Plata 
co. (Morrison), slopes of Mount Baldy at timber line in July, Costilla co. 
(Brunner). Winter records are Boulder (Henderson), Bergen Park, 
7,600 feet (Trippe), near Denver, February, March (Smith), El] Paso 
co., December to April; Pueblo, November ; Cafion City, April (Aiken), 
Salida, January (Frey), Mesa co. (Rockwell) ; a straggler as far east as 
Fort Lyon, May 28th (Thorne apud Cooke). 
Habits.—In the winter Cassin’s Finch is to be found 
in sheltered spots along streams in the foothills in small 
parties, and on a fine bright day they may often be seen 
sitting on the bare branches of cotton-wood trees, sunning 
themselves and enjoying the warmth; in March or April 
they move up into the mountains, where their strong, 
sweet and clear song can be heard among the willows 
along the streams. They breed about the middle of June 
in the pine woods; Gale found many nests with eggs 
