WhenToBird

3 finch species in New Jersey

When Do Finches Arrive in New Jersey?

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 New Jersey. The House Finch is in New Jersey all year. It turns up on about 33% of checklists at its peak (early July) and on 23% in its quietest week (the second week of January).

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekJul 1-7early July
Quietest weekJan 8-14the second week of January

Best: early July. Here all year. Peak: on about 33% of New Jersey checklists.

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

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

Finches in New Jersey, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
House Finchall year–Jul 1-7–33%
Purple FinchSep 15-21Sep 15-21Nov 1-7May 1-79.5%
Pine SiskinOct 1-7Oct 8-14Nov 1-7Dec 1-76.7%
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 New Jersey 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 Jersey

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Camden CountyBest early July · 374 checklists that week, 25,931 in all51%
  2. Gloucester CountyBest early July · 502 checklists that week, 36,378 in all48%
  3. Middlesex CountyBest the second week of July · 552 checklists that week, 46,761 in all46%
  4. Union CountyBest early July · 342 checklists that week, 23,647 in all43%
  5. Monmouth CountyBest the second week of October · 1337 checklists that week, 79,748 in all42%
  6. Somerset CountyBest mid October · 1098 checklists that week, 58,057 in all41%

All finches in New Jersey

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 summerJun 1-7Aug 8-1450%
2House FinchYear-roundall yearJul 1-733%
3Purple FinchWinter visitorSep 15-21Nov 1-79.5%
4Pine SiskinPasses throughOct 1-7Nov 1-76.7%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in New Jersey?
The House Finch is in New Jersey all year. It turns up on about 33% of checklists at its peak (early July) and on 23% in its quietest week (the second week of January).
When do finches leave New Jersey?
The House Finch does not leave New Jersey: it is reported all year, from 23% of checklists in the second week of January to 33% in early July.
When is the best time to see finches in New Jersey?
The House Finch is reported most often in early July, on about 33% of New Jersey checklists.
Which finches are in New Jersey?
House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.