Purple Finches are beautiful and often sought-after birds in Oregon, distinguishable from their more common relatives, the House Finches. They are primarily found in coniferous and mixed forests, particularly west of the Cascades, but can be seen in a wider variety of habitats, including backyards, during winter.

Male Purple Finch in Oregon:
Coloration: The male Purple Finch is often described as looking like a "sparrow dipped in raspberry juice." Unlike the House Finch's more orange-red, the male Purple Finch has a rich, rosy-red or reddish-purple wash that extends quite uniformly over its head, face, throat, breast, and back. This color also diffuses onto the nape and wings, giving it a more "washed" or "stained" appearance compared to the streaky brown back of a House Finch. Western Purple Finches can have a bit more olive-green mixed with the red compared to their Eastern counterparts.
Streaking: While they do have some very faint brownish-pink streaking on their sides, it's much less distinct and less extensive than the crisp streaking found on House Finches. The overall impression is one of a more uniform color.
Bill: They have a relatively large, conical bill, well-suited for crushing seeds.
Shape: They tend to be a bit stockier and larger-billed than House Finches, with a short, notched tail.
Song: Males have a distinctive, bubbly warbling song.

Female Purple Finch in Oregon:
Coloration: Female Purple Finches are brown and streaky, lacking any red. They can be tricky to distinguish from female House Finches, but there are key differences in their head patterns and streaking.
Facial Markings: The most helpful identification feature for a female Purple Finch is her distinctive facial pattern. She typically has:
A bold, whitish stripe above the eye (supercilium).
A dark line through the eye.
A distinct dark streak down the side of the throat (malar stripe), often creating a "mustache" appearance.
A clean, white chin and throat, often contrasting with the streaky breast.
Streaking: Their underparts are coarsely streaked with brown, but the streaks tend to be crisper and more defined than the blurrier streaking on female House Finches. Their back is brownish-olive with contrasting streaking.
Shape and Bill: Similar to males, they are stocky with a relatively large, conical bill and a notched tail.

Key Differences from House Finches (especially important in Oregon where both are common):
Male Color: Purple Finches have a more uniform, "raspberry" red or reddish-purple that extends over the head and back, while House Finches have a more orange-red primarily on the forehead, throat, and breast, with a streaky brown back and belly.
Female Face: Female Purple Finches have distinct facial patterns with a clear white supercilium and dark malar stripe, whereas female House Finches have a plainer face with more indistinct markings.
Streaking: Streaking on Purple Finches (both sexes) tends to be less extensive and more defined than on House Finches.

Purple Finches are often found in coniferous and mixed forests, especially in western Oregon, but may visit feeders in winter, where they prefer black oil sunflower seeds.