When do finches leave Kentucky?

The House Finch does not leave Kentucky: it is reported all year, from 26% of checklists in the second week of September to 37% in the second week of February.

When is the best time to see finches in Kentucky?

The House Finch is reported most often in the second week of February, on about 37% of Kentucky checklists.

Which finches are in Kentucky?

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

3 finch species in Kentucky

When Do Finches Arrive in Kentucky?

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 Kentucky. The House Finch is in Kentucky all year. It turns up on about 37% of checklists at its peak (the second week of February) and on 26% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekFeb 8-14the second week of February

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: the second week of February. Here all year. Peak: on about 37% of Kentucky 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 Kentucky, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Feb 8-14	–	37%
Purple Finch	Oct 15-21	Oct 22-31	Feb 15-21	Apr 15-21	6.0%
Pine Siskin	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Nov 8-14	May 8-14	2.5%

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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Spencer CountyBest the second week of December · 113 checklists that week, 7,721 in all83%
Oldham CountyBest mid July · 114 checklists that week, 6,659 in all76%
Garrard CountyBest early February · 26 checklists that week, 1,578 in all75%
Campbell CountyBest the second week of July · 99 checklists that week, 6,774 in all74%
Pike CountyBest the second week of March · 12 checklists that week, 402 in all72%
Hopkins CountyBest the second week of July · 97 checklists that week, 6,793 in all70%

All finches in Kentucky

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 8-14	55%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Feb 8-14	37%
3	Purple Finch	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Feb 15-21	6.0%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Nov 8-14	2.5%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Kentucky?: The House Finch is in Kentucky all year. It turns up on about 37% of checklists at its peak (the second week of February) and on 26% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do finches leave Kentucky?: The House Finch does not leave Kentucky: it is reported all year, from 26% of checklists in the second week of September to 37% in the second week of February.
When is the best time to see finches in Kentucky?: The House Finch is reported most often in the second week of February, on about 37% of Kentucky checklists.
Which finches are in Kentucky?: House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.