PHOTO LIBRARY

Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

common   fairly common   uncommon   rare   occasional   no records

 

QUICK TIPS: 1) Look at the overall appearance - only AHY/ASY males have extensive reddish-purple plumage, while HY/SY males are mostly to entirely brown with sometimes a few reddish tinges, and females are entirely brown. 2) Look at the outer rectrices - they are narrow and pointed at the tip on HY/SY birds, and broad and relatively rounded on AHY/ASY birds 3) Check the primary coverts - they are narrow and pointed and contrastingly paler than the adjacent greater coverts on HY/SY birds, and relatively broad and rounded and not contrasting in colour or wear with the greater coverts on AHY/ASY birds 4) Examine the greater coverts - on some HY/SY birds there is a visible moult limit between paler outer coverts and darker inner coverts that have been replaced; on other HY/SY birds and all AHY/ASY birds there is no moult limit among the greater coverts

January - August:

ASY - M Upper breast, head, back, and wings washed with red/purple. ASY - F Plumage brown and white, distinguished from younger males and females by broad and truncate primary coverts and rectrices   SY - M Similar to ASY-F, but with primary coverts and rectrices tapered and faded; may have faint red tinge to plumage SY - U Similar to SY-M; in the absence of any red plumage, sexes may be distinguished only by cloacal protuberance or brood patch.

-

September - December:

AHY - M Upper breast, head, back, and wings washed with red/purple.     AHY - F Plumage brown and white, distinguished from younger males and females by broad and truncate primary coverts and rectrices     SY - F Similar to AHY-F, but with outer primary coverts very faded. HY - U Similar to SY-F; sex generally not distinguishable JUV - U Similar to HY-U, with loosely textured undertail coverts

 

Ageing and sexing details:

ASY males are easily recognizable by the strong red/purple wash across the upper breast, head, back, and wings.  No other age or sex class has more than a trace of red.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2005  
 

---

Check for broad and truncate primary coverts on ASY Purple Finches.  Also, ASY males are the only age/sex class in which there is an appreciable amount of red on the upper wing.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007

---

Rectrices of ASY Purple Finches are noticeably more broad and truncate than those of SY birds, which are usually quite pointed. 

 Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

Plumage is brown and white, as is the case for SY Purple Finches of both sexes.  Wings and tail should be checked to assess age, while the presence of a brood patch during the breeding season can be used to identify females.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007
 

---

Check for broad and truncate primary coverts on ASY Purple Finches.  Also, on ASY birds the coverts are uniform in colour and wear.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007
 

---

Rectrices of ASY Purple Finches are noticeably more broad and truncate than those of SY birds, which are usually quite pointed.

 

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

second-year male

second-year unknown

---

The outer primary coverts are generally fairly narrow and tapered, with only narrow pale edging.  There may be a molt limit among the greater coverts

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007
 

---

SY birds have relatively pointed outer rectrices.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2007

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

after-hatch-year male

after-hatch-year female

AHY females are brown and white, as are HY Purple Finches of both sexes.  The shape of the outer rectrices are the easiest indicator of age, and moult patterns on the wing are also useful.

 
 

---

AHY females show no moult limit among the coverts, and have broad and truncate outer primary coverts with fairly distinct pale edging.

 

---

The outer rectrices of AHY Purple Finches are broad and quite rounded at the tip.

 

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

Some AHY birds can be reliably aged as SY at least until late in their prebasic moult by the presence of very worn and faded unreplaced juvenal primary coverts.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, August 2005
 

 

hatch-year unknown

juvenile unknown