WhenToBird

3 finch species in Maryland

When Do Finches Arrive in Maryland?

Adult male House Finch
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 Maryland. The House Finch is in Maryland all year. It turns up on about 32% of checklists at its peak (late October) and on 24% in its quietest week (late August).

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekOct 22-31late October
Quietest weekAug 22-31late August

Best: late October. Here all year. Peak: on about 32% of Maryland checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

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

Finches in Maryland, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
House Finchall year–Oct 22-31–32%
Purple FinchSep 22-30Sep 22-30Oct 22-31May 1-78.8%
Pine SiskinOct 8-14Oct 8-14Nov 1-7Feb 22-285.0%
0%10%20%30%40%House FinchPurple FinchPine SiskinJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • 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 Maryland 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 Maryland

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. St. Mary's CountyBest early April · 404 checklists that week, 20,572 in all51%
  2. Carroll CountyBest the second week of February · 568 checklists that week, 26,728 in all50%
  3. Queen Anne's CountyBest early November · 352 checklists that week, 26,875 in all47%
  4. Calvert CountyBest early June · 842 checklists that week, 43,807 in all45%
  5. Frederick CountyBest mid February · 1465 checklists that week, 57,576 in all45%
  6. Washington CountyBest mid February · 502 checklists that week, 24,020 in all44%

All finches in Maryland

4 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year, 1 are summer visitors, 1 are winter visitors, and 1 mostly pass through.

#SpeciesPatternThrough the yearFirst arrivalsPeakPeak %
1American GoldfinchAll year, most in summerApr 8-14Aug 8-1457%
2House FinchYear-roundall yearOct 22-3132%
3Purple FinchWinter visitorSep 22-30Oct 22-318.8%
4Pine SiskinPasses throughOct 8-14Nov 1-75.0%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Maryland?
The House Finch is in Maryland all year. It turns up on about 32% of checklists at its peak (late October) and on 24% in its quietest week (late August).
When do finches leave Maryland?
The House Finch does not leave Maryland: it is reported all year, from 24% of checklists in late August to 32% in late October.
When is the best time to see finches in Maryland?
The House Finch is reported most often in late October, on about 32% of Maryland checklists.
Which finches are in Maryland?
House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.