Purple Finches reach Oregon in the second week of February, are common by late March, peak in late April (16% of checklists), and most are gone by late July.
When to look
First arrivalsFeb 8-14the second week of February
Common byMar 22-31late March
PeakApr 22-30late April
Most gone byJul 22-31late July
Best: late April. First arrivals the second week of February; most are gone by late July. Peak: on about 16% of Oregon checklists.
Janrare
Febuncommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Auguncommon
Sepuncommon
Octuncommon
Novrare
Decrare
Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.
Share of complete checklists reporting it, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.
Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Oregon 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.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
today
0%few checklistsno data
Each county is shaded by the share of complete checklists there that listed the bird, blended with the weeks either side. Darker is more often. It follows where people watch birds, not how many birds there are. How to read it.
Happy Valley ParkClackamas County, best early May · 22 checklists that week, 999 in all83%
Lily LakeLane County, best late April · 21 checklists that week, 277 in all81%
Rooster Rock State ParkMultnomah County, best late April · 40 checklists that week, 943 in all81%
Rotary Nature PreserveYamhill County, best late April · 30 checklists that week, 367 in all80%
Busy spots report more of everything; compare the checklist counts before you drive anywhere.
Best time of day
In Oregon, the Purple Finch is most often listed on checklists started between 6 and 8 am (12% of those checklists).
Share of checklists started in each local hour that reported it. It reflects when people go birding as well as when birds are active. Grey hours have too few checklists (under 2% of the state’s, or under 200) to judge.Week-by-week table
Month
Days 1-7
8-14
15-21
22-end
January
1.8%
2.0%
2.0%
2.1%
February
2.7%
2.8%
2.6%
3.0%
March
3.5%
4.0%
5.1%
7.0%
April
10%
12%
17%
16%
May
14%
12%
11%
9.4%
June
9.3%
10%
10%
11%
July
11%
10%
8.2%
6.3%
August
4.9%
4.0%
3.5%
3.0%
September
3.6%
3.9%
4.4%
4.6%
October
4.0%
3.1%
2.6%
2.1%
November
1.9%
2.1%
1.8%
1.9%
December
2.2%
2.1%
1.8%
1.9%
Neighboring states
Washington: arrives early April, 7 weeks later than Oregon
California: arrives mid September, 19 weeks earlier than Oregon
South Dakota: arrives mid October, 15 weeks earlier than Oregon
North Dakota: arrives mid August, 23 weeks earlier than Oregon
Common questions
When do Purple Finches arrive in Oregon?
Purple Finches reach Oregon in the second week of February, are common by late March, peak in late April (16% of checklists), and most are gone by late July.
When do Purple Finches leave Oregon?
Most Purple Finches have left Oregon by late July, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of October.
When is the best time to see a Purple Finch in Oregon?
The Purple Finch is reported most often in late April, on about 16% of Oregon checklists.
Where in Oregon are Purple Finches seen most often?
By county, Columbia County, Benton County, and Linn County have the highest peak reporting rates for the Purple Finch (counties with at least 200 checklists).
