House Finchs in Nova Scotia

House Finchs live in Nova Scotia all year — local, mostly in towns. Damp cold and wind chill; sheltered feeding stations and suet help small birds through storms. 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.

Maritime — cool summers, snowy but ocean-moderated winters, fog and wind along the coast.

Across Nova Scotia, house finches typically nest from May–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.

Cool summers delay nesting compared with inland regions at similar latitude.

• House Finchs don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, highbush cranberry, northern bayberry for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Of the regional native plants we track for Nova Scotia, 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 Nova Scotia's winter: Damp cold and wind chill; sheltered feeding stations and suet help small birds through storms.

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