10 Types of Finches Found in Ohio

Located in the Midwest, Ohio is an American state surrounded by Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan, to the north, east, southeast, south, west and northwest, respectfully. The buck-eyed state offers a continental climate to its inhabitants, with humid and warm summers and cold winters. Ohio boasts of 83 state parks, two national parks and eight wildlife refuges. It is home to over 350 species of birds, including Finches. We will discuss the types of finches found in Ohio.
Finches are small songbirds with bright feathers and sharp beaks. There are approximately 200 species of finches living across Africa, America and Eurasia. Their diets consist mostly of a variety of seeds which they obtain by prying open hard shells with their conical beaks. The following is a list of 10 types of finches found in Ohio,

Types of Finches Found in Ohio

1. House Finch

House Finches can be found throughout the year in Ohio. They measure upto 14 cm in length and weigh between 19 to 22 gm. They have an average wingspan of between 20cm to 25 cm and can live for a decade. These birds often live in and around human settlements, in buildings, parks, backyards, parking lots, etc. They are easily spotted throughout the North American continent.

The physical characteristic of House Finches varies based on their sex. Females have brown plumage with streaks on their back, underbelly and tail. Males do share the same traits, but in addition, they are blessed with rosy red feathers and popular as one of the birds with red on their heads and the upper part of their breasts. These birds are known to be very social and usually travel in flocks of hundred.

2. American Goldfinch

American Goldfinches weigh between 11 to 20 gm with a wingspan of 19 to 20 cm. These types of yellow birds are a fairly common sight in Ohio. There are visible changes in the colour of their plumage seasonally. In the summer both males and females are covered in yellow feathers, though the male Goldfinches are one of the yellow and black birds on their heads and wings. In the winter months, the yellow turns into a brownish-olive colour and the colour of their wings change to accommodate black and white patterns.

3. Purple Finch

These small birds weigh between 18 to 32 grams and have a wingspan of 22 to 26 cm. They have a distinctly attractive plumage, and the males are often described as birds “dipped in raspberry juice”. Female Purple Finches have alternating white and brown streaks on their bodies. Both sexes have brown wings and a short brown tail. One is likely to spot these birds in backyards and parks in the state, outside their breeding season.

4. Pine Siskin

Pine Siskins are the only breed of finches residing in Ohio, in which both sexes look identical. Traditionally, they were only found in mixed evergreen or coniferous forests, which had an ample supply of pine nuts. Now, they can even be found in gardens, grasslands, fields, meadows, and roadsides. They are recognised by the streaky brown patterns on their bodies, with a yellow-coloured edging on their tails. They weigh between 12 to 18 grams and have a wingspan of 18 to 22 cm.

Image Source: Wikimedia

5. Hoary Redpoll

Also known as ‘Artic Redpolls’, these finches weigh between 11 to 20 gm. Hoary Redpolls are not as commonly spotted in the state, but one can find them in the northern region of Ohio in the winters. They have a very fluffy appearance due to the insulation provided by their feathers, to keep them warm in extremely cold environments. Both male and female Hoary Redpolls have pale grey and white feathers. Males can be differentiated by the red splash of colour on their heads.

Image Source: Wikimedia

6. Cassin’s Finch

Cassin’s Finches have longer bills than most of the other breeds of finch found in Colorado. Weighing between 24 to 34 grams, they are slightly larger than most finches. Female Cassin’s Finches have brown and white tones on their body, with dark streak patterns on their underbellies and chests. Their male counterparts have rosy tones on their heads with a definite red patch on the top of their heads. Other than seeds, these finches also like feasting on mulberries, grapes and firethorns.

Image Source: Wikimedia

7. Common Redpoll

With a weight ranging from 12 to 16 gm, and a wingspan of 19 to 22 cm, Common Redpolls fall within the average-sized category of finches. Both male and female Common Redpolls have brown and white bodies, with a small patch of red on the top of their heads. Additionally, the male Common Redpoll sport a pale red chest. This breed of finch is migratory and can only be seen in backyards and parks of the state, during winters.

Image Source: Wikimedia

8. Red Crossbills

Red Crossbills are similar to sparrows in terms of their size. They weigh between 40 to 53 gm and have a wingspan ranging from 27 to 29 cm. They are not commonly spotted in places of day to day human commute but can be found in the Pine forests of Ohio. The distinctive feature of this non-migratory bird is that the tips of its upper and lower bills do not align perfectly. Female Red Crossbills are generally brown with yellow highlights on their body. Male Red Crossbills have red tones throughout their body, with white coloured wing bars. These finches prefer to stick together and are known to form flocks of upto a thousand birds.

Image Source: Wikimedia

9. White Winged Crossbill

These finches are slightly heavier and weigh between 30 to 40 gm. They have a wingspan ranging from 26 to 29 cm. Like Red Crossbills, White Winged Crossbill are also known for their non-aligning beaks. They are stout birds with small but sharp bills that aid them in cracking pine cones open, in order to eat their seeds. It is estimated that one White-Winged Crossbill alone can feast on atleast 3000 pine nuts in a day. These birds can be identified by their black wings and tails. Males have a rosy tint to their plumage, while their female counterparts have tones of yellow on their bodies.

Image Source: Wikimedia

10. Evening Grosbeak

With a body length of 16 to 22cm, wingspan ranging from 30 to 36 cm, and weighing about 60 grams, Evening Grosbeaks are among the largest finches spotted in Ohio. They are known for their pale, large, conical beak, and bulky bodies. Male Evening Grosbeaks have a yellow and black body, with a distinct patch of white on their wings. Females are paler in appearance with a grey body, together with black and white wings, and olive tones on their neck. They mostly limit their habitat to the coniferous forests of the north.