When do finches leave New Hampshire?

The House Finch does not leave New Hampshire: it is reported all year, from 11% of checklists in early September to 19% in mid February.

When is the best time to see finches in New Hampshire?

The House Finch is reported most often in mid February, on about 19% of New Hampshire checklists.

Which finches are in New Hampshire?

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

6 finch species in New Hampshire

When Do Finches Arrive in New Hampshire?

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 New Hampshire. The House Finch is in New Hampshire all year. It turns up on about 19% of checklists at its peak (mid February) and on 11% in its quietest week (early September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekFeb 15-21mid February

Quietest weekSep 1-7early September

Best: mid February. Here all year. Peak: on about 19% of New Hampshire checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Finches in New Hampshire, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Feb 15-21	–	19%
Purple Finch	Jan 15-21	Feb 15-21	May 1-7	Nov 8-14	11%
Pine Siskin	Sep 22-30	Oct 8-14	Mar 1-7	May 15-21	8.8%
Evening Grosbeak	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Dec 8-14	May 8-14	3.8%
Red Crossbill	Jun 1-7	Jun 1-7	Aug 8-14	Apr 22-30	3.0%
Redpoll	Nov 8-14	Nov 8-14	Feb 15-21	Apr 1-7	2.3%

House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Evening Grosbeak

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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Rockingham CountyBest the second week of October · 1545 checklists that week, 84,864 in all34%
Strafford CountyBest mid July · 817 checklists that week, 41,888 in all32%
Merrimack CountyBest the second week of November · 564 checklists that week, 36,980 in all24%
Hillsborough CountyBest mid February · 1493 checklists that week, 50,125 in all24%
Cheshire CountyBest mid December · 1418 checklists that week, 39,834 in all21%
Belknap CountyBest mid April · 406 checklists that week, 13,295 in all13%

All finches in New Hampshire

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	Aug 8-14	57%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Feb 15-21	19%
3	Purple Finch	Summer visitor	Jan 15-21	May 1-7	11%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Sep 22-30	Mar 1-7	8.8%
5	Evening Grosbeak	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Dec 8-14	3.8%
6	Red Crossbill	Summer visitor	Jun 1-7	Aug 8-14	3.0%
7	Redpoll	Winter visitor	Nov 8-14	Feb 15-21	2.3%
8	Pine Grosbeak	Winter visitor	Nov 8-14	Dec 1-7	1.5%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in New Hampshire?: The House Finch is in New Hampshire all year. It turns up on about 19% of checklists at its peak (mid February) and on 11% in its quietest week (early September).
When do finches leave New Hampshire?: The House Finch does not leave New Hampshire: it is reported all year, from 11% of checklists in early September to 19% in mid February.
When is the best time to see finches in New Hampshire?: The House Finch is reported most often in mid February, on about 19% of New Hampshire checklists.
Which finches are in New Hampshire?: House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, and Redpoll are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.