- Carpodacus mexicanus
Identification
L. 5-6" (13-15 cm)
Male
Bright red on crown, breast, and rump
Female
Plain, unstriped head and heavy streaking on light underside
Immature males
Less highly coloured, often orangish or yellowish on head and breast
Geographical variation
In north-west Mexico is a region where House Finch males are extensively red and with much less brownish streaking on the underside[2] (probably subspecies ruberrimus).
Distribution
North America, Canada to southern Mexico
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
Polytypic. Consists of twelve subspecies:
- C. m. frontalis: South-western Canada to western US, Baja California and north-western Mexico
- C. m. clementis: Channel Islands (off southern California) and Los Coronados Islands (off northern Baja)
- C. m. amplus: Guadalupe Island (off Baja California)
- C. m. ruberrimus: Southern Baja California and north-western Mexico (Sonora, southern Sinaloa and south-western Chihuahua)
- C. m. rhodopnus: Arid tropical central Sinaloa
- C. m. coccineus: Mountains of south-western Mexico (southern Nayarit and western Zacatecas to western Michoacán)
- C. m. potosinus: Southern Texas (Rio Grande Valley) to Chihuahua and south-western Tamaulipas
- C. m. centralis: Central Mexican plateau (Guanajuato, Querétaro and adjacent states)
- C. m. mexicanus: South central Mexican plateau (eastern Michoacán to Hidalgo and Oaxaca)
- C. m. roseipectus: Southern Mexico (southern Puebla and Valley of Oaxaca)
- C. m. griscomi: South-western Mexico (Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero)
- C. m. mcgregori: Formerly San Benito and Cedros island (off Baja California). Extinct
Habitat
Deserts, orchards, coastal valleys and forests.
Behaviour
Breeding
A tightly woven, compact nest is made and set in a bush, thicket, natural cavity, or on a building. The clutch consists of 3-5 bluish, lightly streaked or spotted eggs.
Diet
Diet includes insects and grass seeds.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Birdforum thread discussing redder House Finch in Mexico
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) House Finch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/House_Finch