Flying North

Written By: William McReynolds - Highlands Plateau Audubon Society | Issue: 2019/03 - March

Some of our winter residents will soon go north.

March is a month of change: In like a lion, it is said, and out like a lamb. Winter begins to turn into spring in March. With that change of seasons, some of our winter avian residents migrate north. Among these departing migrants are the Purple Finches (Haemorhous purpureus). This is surely one of our most beautiful visitors on a gray wintery day. 

The sight of a male Purple Finch perched on a frozen winter branch quickens the human heart and rouses idle curiosity. How do they sustain themselves in freezing temperatures? Why don’t their feet freeze? The answer is: they are warm-blooded like mammals. To maintain their body temperatures and warm-blooded metabolism, they seek calorie-rich and protein-dense seeds and berries. They maximize the insulation provided by their feathers by fluffing themselves and creating air spaces that form a natural down body blanket. They might stand on one foot while tucking the other close to their bodies to warm their toes.

Purple Finch, members of the colorful finch family, are more red and pink or raspberry than purple. Stockier than the House Finch, they have deeply notched tails, long wings and the males have red plumage on the head and back. The female lacks red plumage but has bold head markings with white bellies marked by coarse dark streaks. Look for her white eyebrow. She is smaller than but very similar to the female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

These are short-distant migrants whose Eastern subspecies winters widely in the Eastern, Midwestern and Southeastern U.S. Their spring and summer breeding grounds are in southern Canada. Their habitat is coniferous and mixed coniferous and deciduous forests including forest edges, backyards and birdfeeders offering black oil sunflower seeds. 

Providing a bird feeder helps sustain these and other plucky perchers. They are attracted to black oil sunflower seeds and feed in flocks. Bird feeders and black oil sunflower seeds are available at most home and garden stores including Tractor Supply Co. Bird feeders help sustain our avian populations whose very existence is threatened by climate change, loss of habitat and decrease in insect populations. 

Happy change of season birding from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society.

The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, dedicated to enjoying and preserving birds and their habitats, is a Chapter of the National Audubon Society and a 501(c)(3) organization. For information on all our activities and membership, please visit highlandsaudubonsociety.org.