When do finches leave Kansas?

The House Finch does not leave Kansas: it is reported all year, from 23% of checklists in the second week of September to 33% in mid February.

When is the best time to see finches in Kansas?

The House Finch is reported most often in mid February, on about 33% of Kansas checklists.

Which finches are in Kansas?

House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.

3 finch species in Kansas

When Do Finches Arrive in Kansas?

Photo: Daughter Dad, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

House Finches, Purple Finches, and Pine Siskins are the finches you are most likely to see in Kansas. The House Finch is in Kansas all year. It turns up on about 33% of checklists at its peak (mid February) and on 23% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekFeb 15-21mid February

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid February. Here all year. Peak: on about 33% of Kansas checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Finches in Kansas, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Feb 15-21	–	33%
Purple Finch	Oct 22-31	Nov 8-14	Feb 8-14	Apr 1-7	5.1%
Pine Siskin	Sep 22-30	Oct 1-7	Oct 22-31	May 15-21	3.8%

House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Kansas that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Kansas

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Ottawa CountyBest the second week of January · 11 checklists that week, 523 in all75%
Ellis CountyBest the second week of June · 90 checklists that week, 6,529 in all73%
Gove CountyBest mid January · 11 checklists that week, 1,282 in all64%
Sherman CountyBest late March · 38 checklists that week, 1,243 in all62%
Cloud CountyBest the second week of January · 15 checklists that week, 586 in all61%
Saline CountyBest mid January · 34 checklists that week, 2,642 in all61%

All finches in Kansas

4 species are reported regularly: 2 stay all year and 2 are winter visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	American Goldfinch	Year-round	all year	Aug 15-21	41%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Feb 15-21	33%
3	Purple Finch	Winter visitor	Oct 22-31	Feb 8-14	5.1%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Sep 22-30	Oct 22-31	3.8%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Kansas?: The House Finch is in Kansas all year. It turns up on about 33% of checklists at its peak (mid February) and on 23% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do finches leave Kansas?: The House Finch does not leave Kansas: it is reported all year, from 23% of checklists in the second week of September to 33% in mid February.
When is the best time to see finches in Kansas?: The House Finch is reported most often in mid February, on about 33% of Kansas checklists.
Which finches are in Kansas?: House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.