House Finchs in Michigan

House Finchs live in Michigan all year. Lake-effect snow and long cold spells; Purple Finches breed in the north and winter farther south. 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, strongly shaped by the Great Lakes; colder and snowier in the Upper Peninsula.

Across Michigan, 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.

A compressed nesting season; bluebirds usually manage one or two broods.

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

Of the regional native plants we track for Michigan, 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 Michigan's winter: Lake-effect snow and long cold spells; Purple Finches breed in the north and winter farther south.

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