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Hi, Minneapolis, MN April 26th 2021, Midday. I had seen my share of house finches in the yard today and didn't bother to get a great photo of this one (there were birds everywhere at the time), but now I am wondering if it could actually be a Purple Finch? Not sure if the photo is clear enough to make the claim as I see it is "Rare" in the Merlin app. Thanks for any help!
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Yep, definitely a purple finch! nice find!
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This is a Purple finch. Check out this article from eBird on identifying the 3 confusing finches (House, Purple, and Cassins) https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/tricky-finches-_-powered-by-ebird?__hstc=60209138.37daff4f4b177350879d3fc0c23667ae.1632091196507.1678915388561.1678989054035.478&__hssc=60209138.42.1678989054035&__hsfp=3614612612&_gl=1*zhhm9o*_ga*MTI3NDMwOTEzOC4xNjcyMDk3NjE0*_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM*MTY3ODk4OTA1My41Ni4xLjE2Nzg5OTIyNjguNjAuMC4w&_ga=2.65273837.2117605568.1678664568-1274309138.1672097614
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That is a purple finch. I'm a finch expert.
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This 2020-2021 winter season was an irruption year for many finches, including purple finches, so they moved south in bigger numbers than usual. The ornithologist at my local university in Kansas told me a few months ago he was getting way more purple finches in his yard this year than house finches, which is the opposite of normal in our area. So this may be a year where the Merlin app's advice on purple finches is a bit out of whack? I spotted a couple purple finches in the Kansas City area just a few days ago. David Allen Sibley says look for a slight crest if you can, and a notched tail, to help ID the purple finch from the house finch: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-sibleys-id-toolkit/david-sibley-purple-finch-house-finch/
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Describe it, please.
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@Nathan I investigated and according to the field marks the only diference is that it is striped in purple red. So if it what i think yes, it is a purple finch!
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