House Finchs in Illinois

House Finchs live in Illinois all year. Cold, windy winters in the north; the southern tip is milder and hosts more wintering species. 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 continental, grading from the Lake Michigan shore and prairie north to the forested Shawnee Hills in the south.

Across Illinois, 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; much of the state is farmland, so backyard native plantings matter.

• 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 Illinois, 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 Illinois's winter: Cold, windy winters in the north; the southern tip is milder and hosts more wintering species.

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