Purple Finchs in Pennsylvania

Purple Finchs live in Pennsylvania all year — breeds in the northern highlands; winters statewide. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward tree seeds (ash, elm, tulip poplar); black-oil sunflower at feeders.

Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.

Across Pennsylvania, purple finches typically nest from May–July. Nest site: cup nest in conifers, usually well out on a branch. Females lay 2–7 eggs, incubate for 13 days, and young leave the nest after 13–14 days.

Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.

• Purple Finchs don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as serviceberry, winterberry, black cherry for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

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

Purple finches are irregular winter visitors south of their breeding range — numbers swing year to year with northern cone and seed crops.

• Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower, Nyjer.
• In Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.

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