House Finchs in Texas

House Finchs live in Texas all year. Hard freezes are brief outside the Panhandle, so most feeder birds face heat and drought stress more than cold. 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 in the east and along the Gulf, semi-arid to arid in the west; long, hot summers and short, mild winters over most of the state.

Across Texas, house finches typically nest from March–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.

Afternoon highs regularly exceed 95°F — nest boxes need shade or light-colored, ventilated construction, and water matters as much as food.

• House Finchs don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as yaupon holly, american beautyberry, coral honeysuckle for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Of the regional native plants we track for Texas, 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 Texas's winter: Hard freezes are brief outside the Panhandle, so most feeder birds face heat and drought stress more than cold.

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