The California Purple Finch 



No. 33 



California Purple Finch 



A. 0. U. No. 517a. Carpodacus purpureus calif ornicus Baird. 



Description. — Adult male: General body plumage dark red, or grayish red 

 (oxblood red, Vandyke red, pompeian red, occasionally vinaceous rufous), clearest on 

 crown and upper tail-coverts, more or less mingled with dusky on back and scapulars, 

 passing into white on crissum and under tail-coverts; wings and tail brownish dusky 

 with reddish or bright brown edgings. Bill and feet brownish. /;/ autumn, the color 

 slightly duller and more blended. Adult female: Above olive dusky in streaks, with 

 edging or gloss of brighter olivaceous; underparts whitish, everywhere, save on middle 

 abdomen, crissum and under tail-coverts, streaked with olive dusky, finely on throat, 

 broadly on breast and sides, shading into pattern of upperparts on sides of head, 

 neck, and chest. Immature male, and male in ordinary (?) plumage: Exactly like fe- 

 male in coloration. Length about 158.7 (6.25); wing 80 (3.15); tail 60 (2.35); bill 

 1 1.9 (.47); tarsus 18.3 (.72). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; dull rosy coloration of male (without 

 crossed mandibles), but streaky pattern oftenest seen. Male differs from that of 

 C. cassini in darker shade of red on crown, with less contrast. Requires careful dis- 

 crimination from C. mexicanus frontalis, with which it sometimes associates loosely 

 at the lower levels. Note greater extension of red, especially upon back; red usually 

 but not always of a duller hue. In streaked plumage, more olivaceous and with some- 

 what coarser pattern. More sedate in bearing, but song more vivacious and better 

 sustained. 



Nesting. — Nest: A well built cup, composed externally of interlaced twigs, 

 internally of mosses, fine grasses, string, horsehair, cotton waste, etc.; placed on hori- 

 zontal or ascending branch of tree at moderate elevation (5 to 40 feet), and usually 

 at considerable distance from trunk. Measures 5 inches (mm 127) wide by 3 (mm 76) 

 deep outside; 2.25-2.50 (mm 57-63) wide inside by 1.25 (mm 31.7) deep. Eggs: 4 or 5; 

 ovate to elongate ovate; light bluish green (microcline green), spotted and streaked, 

 chiefly about the larger end, with dark olive-gray and a little black. Size rather 

 variable; a typical set from Eureka averages 20.4 x 14.4 (.80 x .57). Season: May- 

 June; one or two broods. 



Range of Carpodacus purpureus. — North America from southern Canada 

 south to the southern border of the United States. 



Range of C. p. californicus. — Pacific Coast district, breeding from southern 

 British Columbia and Vancouver Island south to southern California and east to the 

 Cascade and Sierra Nevada Mountains. Although partially resident throughout its 

 range, many of the northern birds retire in winter, so that the population in south- 

 ern California is augmented, and a few pass as far south as the Santa Catalina Mount- 

 ains in Arizona (Scott). 



Distribution in California. — Common resident of Upper Sonoran and Tran- 

 sition areas west of the Sierran divide, especially coastwise, and on the lower west- 

 ern slopes of the Sierras and southern mountain system. C. p. californicus is a 

 lover of cool weather and moisture, and its range is roughly complementary to that 



208 



