Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus), Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Pinal County

This female Purple Finch was discovered by Brendon Grice and David Malia in bush along path in Herb Garden.  It was photographed by Brendon Grice on 07 November 2009.

Casual transient and winter visitor. 

Female Purple Finches of the California subspecies (C. p. californicus) are less contrasty overall than the eastern forms (purpureus) and therefore more difficult to identify.  Both have occurred in Arizona, but this bird is not contrasty enough for an Eastern Purple Finch.  It is not a House Finch because of the short, notched tail and sparse streaking of the undertail coverts.  The best characters to separate this bird from a female Cassin's Finch are the rounded culmen, short primary projection and blurry breast streaking.  Also note the pale arc under the eye and lack of an eyering. 

07 November 2009, photo by Brendon Grice

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