When do finches leave Massachusetts?

The House Finch does not leave Massachusetts: it is reported all year, from 18% of checklists in the second week of September to 26% in late October.

When is the best time to see finches in Massachusetts?

The House Finch is reported most often in late October, on about 26% of Massachusetts checklists.

Which finches are in Massachusetts?

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

4 finch species in Massachusetts

When Do Finches Arrive in Massachusetts?

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 Massachusetts. The House Finch is in Massachusetts all year. It turns up on about 26% of checklists at its peak (late October) and on 18% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekOct 22-31late October

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: late October. Here all year. Peak: on about 26% of Massachusetts checklists.

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

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

Finches in Massachusetts, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Oct 22-31	–	26%
Purple Finch	Sep 1-7	Sep 1-7	Oct 22-31	Feb 22-28	5.8%
Pine Siskin	Oct 1-7	Oct 1-7	Nov 1-7	May 1-7	4.2%
Red Crossbill	Nov 1-7	Nov 1-7	Dec 15-21	Jun 22-30	1.0%

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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Bristol CountyBest the second week of July · 931 checklists that week, 65,262 in all39%
Nantucket CountyBest early May · 633 checklists that week, 23,895 in all36%
Norfolk CountyBest early November · 2017 checklists that week, 114,756 in all34%
Middlesex CountyBest the second week of July · 3889 checklists that week, 307,511 in all33%
Hampden CountyBest late July · 742 checklists that week, 35,410 in all30%
Dukes CountyBest mid April · 356 checklists that week, 23,670 in all29%

All finches in Massachusetts

5 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year, 1 are summer visitors, and 3 are winter visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	American Goldfinch	All year, most in summer	Apr 8-14	Aug 8-14	61%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Oct 22-31	26%
3	Purple Finch	Winter visitor	Sep 1-7	Oct 22-31	5.8%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Oct 1-7	Nov 1-7	4.2%
5	Red Crossbill	Winter visitor	Nov 1-7	Dec 15-21	1.0%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Massachusetts?: The House Finch is in Massachusetts all year. It turns up on about 26% of checklists at its peak (late October) and on 18% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do finches leave Massachusetts?: The House Finch does not leave Massachusetts: it is reported all year, from 18% of checklists in the second week of September to 26% in late October.
When is the best time to see finches in Massachusetts?: The House Finch is reported most often in late October, on about 26% of Massachusetts checklists.
Which finches are in Massachusetts?: House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Red Crossbill are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.