When do finches leave Tennessee?

The House Finch does not leave Tennessee: it is reported all year, from 30% of checklists in the second week of September to 42% in early July.

When is the best time to see finches in Tennessee?

The House Finch is reported most often in early July, on about 42% of Tennessee checklists.

Which finches are in Tennessee?

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

3 finch species in Tennessee

When Do Finches Arrive in Tennessee?

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 Tennessee. The House Finch is in Tennessee all year. It turns up on about 42% of checklists at its peak (early July) and on 30% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekJul 1-7early July

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: early July. Here all year. Peak: on about 42% of Tennessee 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 Tennessee, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Jul 1-7	–	42%
Purple Finch	Oct 22-31	Nov 1-7	Dec 15-21	Apr 1-7	6.3%
Pine Siskin	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Feb 8-14	May 8-14	3.0%

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Weakley CountyBest mid September · 25 checklists that week, 2,092 in all95%
Tipton CountyBest early November · 15 checklists that week, 1,603 in all81%
Giles CountyBest mid January · 17 checklists that week, 803 in all72%
Cannon CountyBest the second week of January · 23 checklists that week, 995 in all72%
Johnson CountyBest the second week of December · 10 checklists that week, 1,558 in all70%
Williamson CountyBest early July · 339 checklists that week, 26,829 in all67%

All finches in Tennessee

4 species are reported regularly: 2 stay all year and 2 are winter visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	American Goldfinch	Year-round	all year	Aug 1-7	45%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Jul 1-7	42%
3	Purple Finch	Winter visitor	Oct 22-31	Dec 15-21	6.3%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Feb 8-14	3.0%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Tennessee?: The House Finch is in Tennessee all year. It turns up on about 42% of checklists at its peak (early July) and on 30% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do finches leave Tennessee?: The House Finch does not leave Tennessee: it is reported all year, from 30% of checklists in the second week of September to 42% in early July.
When is the best time to see finches in Tennessee?: The House Finch is reported most often in early July, on about 42% of Tennessee checklists.
Which finches are in Tennessee?: House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.