When do finches leave Maine?

The House Finch does not leave Maine: it is reported all year, from 8.3% of checklists in the second week of July to 17% in the second week of November.

When is the best time to see finches in Maine?

The House Finch is reported most often in the second week of November, on about 17% of Maine checklists.

Which finches are in Maine?

House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill, Evening Grosbeak, and Redpoll are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.

6 finch species in Maine

When Do Finches Arrive in Maine?

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 Maine. The House Finch is in Maine all year. It turns up on about 17% of checklists at its peak (the second week of November) and on 8.3% in its quietest week (the second week of July).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekNov 8-14the second week of November

Quietest weekJul 8-14the second week of July

Best: the second week of November. Here all year. Peak: on about 17% of Maine checklists.

Jancommon
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Finches in Maine, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Nov 8-14	–	17%
Purple Finch	Feb 8-14	Mar 15-21	May 1-7	Nov 1-7	16%
Pine Siskin	Sep 22-30	Oct 1-7	Oct 22-31	Jun 1-7	6.3%
Red Crossbill	May 1-7	May 1-7	Aug 8-14	Apr 15-21	3.0%
Evening Grosbeak	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Nov 22-30	May 8-14	2.8%
Redpoll	Nov 8-14	Nov 8-14	Feb 8-14	Apr 8-14	1.9%

House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Red Crossbill

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 Maine 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 Maine

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

York CountyBest late April · 2915 checklists that week, 101,844 in all34%
Androscoggin CountyBest the second week of May · 810 checklists that week, 16,955 in all31%
Cumberland CountyBest late October · 3287 checklists that week, 169,501 in all28%
Kennebec CountyBest late November · 576 checklists that week, 48,185 in all21%
Lincoln CountyBest the second week of November · 623 checklists that week, 59,429 in all14%
Knox CountyBest mid April · 642 checklists that week, 34,453 in all13%

All finches in Maine

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

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	American Goldfinch	Year-round	all year	May 8-14	58%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Nov 8-14	17%
3	Purple Finch	Summer visitor	Feb 8-14	May 1-7	16%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Sep 22-30	Oct 22-31	6.3%
5	Red Crossbill	Summer visitor	May 1-7	Aug 8-14	3.0%
6	Evening Grosbeak	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Nov 22-30	2.8%
7	Redpoll	Winter visitor	Nov 8-14	Feb 8-14	1.9%
8	Pine Grosbeak	Winter visitor	Nov 8-14	Jan 22-31	1.5%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Maine?: The House Finch is in Maine all year. It turns up on about 17% of checklists at its peak (the second week of November) and on 8.3% in its quietest week (the second week of July).
When do finches leave Maine?: The House Finch does not leave Maine: it is reported all year, from 8.3% of checklists in the second week of July to 17% in the second week of November.
When is the best time to see finches in Maine?: The House Finch is reported most often in the second week of November, on about 17% of Maine checklists.
Which finches are in Maine?: House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill, Evening Grosbeak, and Redpoll are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.