Cassin's finch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cassin's finch |
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| blue: breeding; green: year-round; yellow: wintering | |
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The Cassin's finch (Haemorhous cassinii) is a beautiful songbird. It belongs to the bird family known as finches. This family is scientifically called Fringillidae. Cassin's finches and other "American rosefinches" are grouped together in the genus Haemorhous.
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What Does a Cassin's Finch Look Like?
Cassin's finches are medium-sized birds. They have a short, forked brown tail. Their wings are also brown. They have a slightly longer bill than their cousin, the purple finch.
Size and Weight
- Length: About 6.3 inches (16 cm) long.
- Weight: They weigh about 0.8 to 1.2 ounces (24-34 grams). That's like a few quarters!
- Wingspan: Their wings can spread about 9.8 to 10.6 inches (25-27 cm) wide.
Male and Female Finches
Adult male Cassin's finches are easy to spot. They have a bright raspberry-red color. This red covers their head, chest, back, and rump. Their back and the area under their tail have streaks.
Adult female finches look a bit different. They have light brown feathers on their upper parts. Their underparts are lighter with brown streaks. Their face markings are not as clear as those of female purple finches.
Where Do Cassin's Finches Live?
Cassin's finches live in the mountains of western North America. They prefer coniferous forests. These are forests with trees like pine and fir. You can find them as far south as northern New Mexico and Arizona. They also live in Southern California, close to Baja California.
Nesting Habits
These birds build their nests in large conifer trees. When winter comes, they move to lower places. This helps them find food and stay warm.
Do They Migrate?
Some Cassin's finches travel south for the winter. This is called migration. This is especially true for birds that breed in the far north. However, many Cassin's finches stay in the same area all year. They are called permanent residents. Some birds that are not breeding might spend the winter as far south as central Mexico.
What Do Cassin's Finches Eat?
Cassin's finches look for food in trees. Sometimes, they also search for food on the ground. They mainly eat seeds, buds, and berries. They also eat some insects. When they are not nesting, they often feed in small groups.
Who Was John Cassin?
This bird was named after a person named John Cassin. He was a curator at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. A curator is someone who takes care of a museum's collections.
How Are Cassin's Finches Classified?
Scientists group living things into categories. This is called taxonomy. Cassin's finch, the purple finch, and the house finch were once in the genus Carpodacus. This genus also included rosefinches from other parts of the world.
However, scientists found that the three North American species are not closely related to the Old World rosefinches. Because of this, most experts have moved them. They are now placed in the genus Haemorhous.
See also
In Spanish: Camachuelo de Cassin para niños
