When do finches leave Vermont?

The House Finch does not leave Vermont: it is reported all year, from 5.9% of checklists in the second week of September to 13% in late February.

When is the best time to see finches in Vermont?

The House Finch is reported most often in late February, on about 13% of Vermont checklists.

Which finches are in Vermont?

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

5 finch species in Vermont

When Do Finches Arrive in Vermont?

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 Vermont. The House Finch is in Vermont all year. It turns up on about 13% of checklists at its peak (late February) and on 5.9% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekFeb 22-28late February

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: late February. Here all year. Peak: on about 13% of Vermont checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Finches in Vermont, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Feb 22-28	–	13%
Purple Finch	Apr 8-14	Apr 8-14	Apr 22-30	Aug 8-14	12%
Pine Siskin	Oct 1-7	Oct 8-14	Mar 1-7	May 15-21	8.6%
Redpoll	Nov 1-7	Nov 8-14	Feb 8-14	Apr 1-7	5.8%
Evening Grosbeak	Oct 15-21	Oct 15-21	Dec 15-21	May 8-14	2.6%

House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Redpoll

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 Vermont 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 Vermont

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Bennington CountyBest early December · 259 checklists that week, 21,621 in all28%
Rutland CountyBest early March · 700 checklists that week, 46,909 in all22%
Windham CountyBest mid February · 804 checklists that week, 39,105 in all17%
Windsor CountyBest late February · 1076 checklists that week, 73,702 in all17%
Chittenden CountyBest mid December · 1847 checklists that week, 109,477 in all17%
Grand Isle CountyBest early May · 181 checklists that week, 8,507 in all12%

All finches in Vermont

7 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year, 2 are summer visitors, and 4 are winter visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	American Goldfinch	All year, most in summer	Jun 15-21	Aug 8-14	63%
2	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Feb 22-28	13%
3	Purple Finch	All year, most in summer	Apr 8-14	Apr 22-30	12%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Oct 1-7	Mar 1-7	8.6%
5	Redpoll	Winter visitor	Nov 1-7	Feb 8-14	5.8%
6	Evening Grosbeak	Winter visitor	Oct 15-21	Dec 15-21	2.6%
7	Pine Grosbeak	Winter visitor	Nov 8-14	Dec 1-7	2.4%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Vermont?: The House Finch is in Vermont all year. It turns up on about 13% of checklists at its peak (late February) and on 5.9% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do finches leave Vermont?: The House Finch does not leave Vermont: it is reported all year, from 5.9% of checklists in the second week of September to 13% in late February.
When is the best time to see finches in Vermont?: The House Finch is reported most often in late February, on about 13% of Vermont checklists.
Which finches are in Vermont?: House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Redpoll, and Evening Grosbeak are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.