House Finchs in Arkansas

House Finchs live in Arkansas all year. Mild winters with occasional ice storms that make suet and sheltered feeders critical for a few days at a time. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward seeds and dried fruit; sunflower and nyjer at feeders.

Humid subtropical, with the Ozark and Ouachita highlands in the northwest and the flat Mississippi Delta in the east.

Across Arkansas, house finches typically nest from April–August. Nest site: ledges, hanging planters, dense conifers, vines and building nooks. Females lay 2–6 eggs, incubate for 13–14 days, and young leave the nest after 12–19 days.

Hot, humid summers; shade nest boxes in the Delta.

• House Finchs don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Of the regional native plants we track for Arkansas, these 8 provide food or cover house finches use:

House finches are prone to Mycoplasma conjunctivitis (swollen, crusty eyes), which spreads at feeders. Clean feeders every two weeks and take them down for a week if you see sick birds.

• Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower, Nyjer.
• In Arkansas's winter: Mild winters with occasional ice storms that make suet and sheltered feeders critical for a few days at a time.

Full diet breakdown for house finches · Best feeder for house finches