When do finches leave North Dakota?

The House Finch does not leave North Dakota: it is reported all year, from 8.9% of checklists in the second week of June to 24% in mid December.

When is the best time to see finches in North Dakota?

The House Finch is reported most often in mid December, on about 24% of North Dakota checklists.

Which finches are in North Dakota?

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

5 finch species in North Dakota

When Do Finches Arrive in North Dakota?

Photo: Daughter Dad, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

House Finches, Redpolls, and Pine Siskins are the finches you are most likely to see in North Dakota. The House Finch is in North Dakota all year. It turns up on about 24% of checklists at its peak (mid December) and on 8.9% in its quietest week (the second week of June).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekDec 15-21mid December

Quietest weekJun 8-14the second week of June

Best: mid December. Here all year. Peak: on about 24% of North Dakota checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Finches in North Dakota, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Dec 15-21	–	24%
Redpoll	Oct 15-21	Nov 1-7	Feb 8-14	Apr 1-7	15%
Pine Siskin	Jul 22-31	Sep 1-7	Feb 15-21	Jun 1-7	15%
Purple Finch	Aug 15-21	Aug 22-31	Nov 1-7	May 1-7	6.6%
Red Crossbill	Aug 15-21	Aug 15-21	Dec 22-31	Apr 1-7	2.5%

House Finch
Redpoll
Pine Siskin
Purple Finch

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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Traill CountyBest early January · 10 checklists that week, 764 in all87%
Steele CountyBest early July · 93 checklists that week, 6,291 in all66%
Stark CountyBest late January · 89 checklists that week, 4,072 in all59%
Mountrail CountyBest early January · 60 checklists that week, 3,275 in all57%
Richland CountyBest mid October · 23 checklists that week, 1,563 in all51%
Morton CountyBest late February · 56 checklists that week, 3,404 in all49%

All finches in North Dakota

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

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	American Goldfinch	All year, most in summer	May 8-14	Aug 15-21	53%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Dec 15-21	24%
3	Redpoll	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Feb 8-14	15%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Jul 22-31	Feb 15-21	15%
5	Purple Finch	Winter visitor	Aug 15-21	Nov 1-7	6.6%
6	White-winged Crossbill	Winter visitor	Nov 1-7	Nov 22-30	4.2%
7	Red Crossbill	Winter visitor	Aug 15-21	Dec 22-31	2.5%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in North Dakota?: The House Finch is in North Dakota all year. It turns up on about 24% of checklists at its peak (mid December) and on 8.9% in its quietest week (the second week of June).
When do finches leave North Dakota?: The House Finch does not leave North Dakota: it is reported all year, from 8.9% of checklists in the second week of June to 24% in mid December.
When is the best time to see finches in North Dakota?: The House Finch is reported most often in mid December, on about 24% of North Dakota checklists.
Which finches are in North Dakota?: House Finch, Redpoll, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, and Red Crossbill are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.