When do finches leave New Mexico?

The House Finch does not leave New Mexico: it is reported all year, from 49% of checklists in late August to 59% in the second week of April.

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

The House Finch is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 59% of New Mexico checklists.

Which finches are in New Mexico?

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

4 finch species in New Mexico

When Do Finches Arrive in New Mexico?

Photo: Daughter Dad, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

House Finches, Pine Siskins, and Evening Grosbeaks are the finches you are most likely to see in New Mexico. The House Finch is in New Mexico all year. It turns up on about 59% of checklists at its peak (the second week of April) and on 49% in its quietest week (late August).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 8-14the second week of April

Quietest weekAug 22-31late August

Best: the second week of April. Here all year. Peak: on about 59% of New Mexico 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 New Mexico, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Apr 8-14	–	59%
Pine Siskin	all year	–	May 1-7	–	17%
Evening Grosbeak	Jul 15-21	Jul 22-31	May 1-7	Jun 1-7	4.4%
Red Crossbill	Jan 15-21	Feb 22-28	Jul 15-21	Dec 1-7	3.0%

House Finch
Pine Siskin
Evening Grosbeak
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 New Mexico 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 Mexico

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Roosevelt CountyBest the second week of December · 36 checklists that week, 4,563 in all82%
Dona Ana CountyBest the second week of June · 368 checklists that week, 29,776 in all79%
Santa Fe CountyBest the second week of April · 1467 checklists that week, 66,241 in all76%
McKinley CountyBest mid February · 43 checklists that week, 2,545 in all73%
Bernalillo CountyBest the second week of October · 2342 checklists that week, 135,737 in all72%
Los Alamos CountyBest early April · 1222 checklists that week, 50,554 in all71%

All finches in New Mexico

9 species are reported regularly: 2 stay all year, 4 are summer visitors, and 3 are winter visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Apr 8-14	59%
2	Lesser Goldfinch	All year, most in summer	Jun 8-14	Aug 22-31	43%
3	Pine Siskin	Year-round	all year	May 1-7	17%
4	American Goldfinch	Winter visitor	Jul 22-31	Nov 22-30	7.6%
5	Cassin's Finch	Summer visitor	Sep 15-21	Apr 1-7	6.6%
6	Evening Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Jul 15-21	May 1-7	4.4%
7	Red Crossbill	Summer visitor	Jan 15-21	Jul 15-21	3.0%
8	Black Rosy-Finch	Winter visitor	Nov 22-30	Jan 15-21	1.3%
9	Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch	Winter visitor	Nov 22-30	Jan 15-21	1.1%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in New Mexico?: The House Finch is in New Mexico all year. It turns up on about 59% of checklists at its peak (the second week of April) and on 49% in its quietest week (late August).
When do finches leave New Mexico?: The House Finch does not leave New Mexico: it is reported all year, from 49% of checklists in late August to 59% in the second week of April.
When is the best time to see finches in New Mexico?: The House Finch is reported most often in the second week of April, on about 59% of New Mexico checklists.
Which finches are in New Mexico?: House Finch, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, and Red Crossbill are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.