You’ve come to the right place if you’re trying to identify birds with red chests in North America. Get photos, information on the species, bird calls, and whatever else you might want to know about where and when you might see them.
Your knowledge of these birds will come in handy as you try to identify them. So, take a quick glance to see if you can spot the bird you’re looking for.
Birds With Red Chests:
1. Purple Finch
The reddish-purple head and breast with more brown on the back and wings make Purple Finches look a lot like House Finch.
- Length: 4.7-6.3 in (12-16 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-1.1 oz (18-32 g)
- Wingspan: 8.7-10.2 in (22-26 cm)
They can be found all year in the north-east are Pacific coast, where they breed and overwinter in Canada.
They’re seen eating seeds, buds, nectar, and berries in evergreen woods.
Black oil sunflower seeds are readily available at feeders.
2. House Finch
Another bird with a red head and breast in males and brown-streaked coloring in females is House Finches, which have a red head and breast.
- Length: 5.1-5.5 in (13-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-0.9 oz (16-27 g)
- Wingspan: 7.9-9.8 in (20-25 cm)
It was originally only found in the western United States, but it has since expanded eastward and is currently competing with the Purple Finch.
Parks, farms, forest borders, and suburban feeders are all good places to look. They may be spotted in noisy clusters that are noticeable.
Black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube feeders or platform feeders may be used to attract more House Finches to backyard feeders.
3. Cassin’s Finch
Cassin’s Finches have a red head, rosy pink body, and brown back and wings. They also have a whiteish belly.
- Length: 6.3 in (16 cm)
- Weight: 0.8-1.2 oz (24-34 g)
- Wingspan: 9.8-10.6 in (25-27 cm)
Mountain forests in western states are home to these birds, which forage in flocks for seeds.
Sunflower seed feeders, particularly in the winter and fruiting shrubs like cotoneaster, mulberries, firethorn, grape, and apple may attract them to your property if they are not as frequent as House or Purple Finches.
4. Common Rosefinch
The head, chest, and rump of Common Rosefinch males are bright red, with brown feathers scattered across the rest of the body.
- Carpodacus erythrinus
- Length: 5.8 in (15 cm)
- Weight: 0.8 oz (23 g)
- Wingspan: 9.5 in (24 cm)
Since they are typically from Europe and Asia, Common Rosefinches are uncommon in North America. Nonetheless, during the summer, they are most commonly sighted in Alaska’s western desert.
Common Rosefinch Song:
Grass, weeds, roots, and animal hair are frequently used in Common Rosefinch nests. They’ll be low to the ground, as you can see. Females typically lay three to six eggs, which take around two weeks to hatch.
By providing seeds, peanuts, and fruit, you may entice Rosefinches to your backyards.
Fun Fact: The reddish color of Common Rosefinches has earned them the name Scarlet Rosefinch.
5. Common Redpoll
Little Redpolls are brown and white streaked over their bodies with crimson foreheads. Males have crimson chests, whereas females do not. Their bills are tiny and their tail is notched, similar to finch bills.
- Acanthis flammea
- Length: 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.7 oz (11-20 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-8.7 in (19-22 cm)
In Canada, Common Redpolls breed in the artic and spend the rest of their winters there, with a lesser presence in central America.
They’ll tunnel into the snow during the winter to keep themselves warm at night. They may store up to 2 grams of seeds in a stretchy park of their esophagus and may eat up to 42% of their body mass every day.
Common Redpolls are found in weedy fields or eating catkins on trees, but they will also come to feeders for tiny seeds like nyjer seeds or thistle.
Common Redpoll Song:
Common Redpoll nests are found in tight, low bushes or rock niches. They are typically made of moss, feathers, plant material, and animal hair to keep the nests and eggs warm. The female incubates four to seven eggs for around eleven days, depending on the species. The chicks continue to reside in the nest and are looked after by their moms for another two weeks even after they hatch.
Attract Common Redpolls Feeding them nyjer seeds and shelled sunflower seeds will bring them to your backyard.
Fun Fact: Temperatures as low as -65 degrees Fahrenheit do not kill Common Redpolls. To keep warm, they add around 30% more feathers.
6. White-winged Crossbill
Crossbills with heavily crossed beaks are the White-winged Crossbills. Males have black wings and tails, as well as two white wingbars, and are red on the top of their heads. Yellow and brown females have two white wing bars on their wings.
- Loxia leucoptera
- Length: 5.9-6.7 in (15-17 cm)
- Weight: 0.8-0.9 oz (24-26 g)
- Wingspan: 10.2-11.0 in (26-28 cm)
When cone crops are scarce farther north, White-winged Crossbills reside in woods in Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States.
White-winged crossbills may be found feeding on seeds in spruce woodlands.
White-winged Crossbill Song:
White-winged Crossbills build nests on horizontal tree limbs. Twigs, bark, grass, moss, and lichens are used to create them. A female incubates five eggs in a nest for two weeks until they hatch, which is the maximum number of eggs in a nest.
Fun Fact: These birds, unusually, can breed at any time of year if there is enough food. Large flocks of them might frequently be heard.
7. Pine Grosbeak
Males of Pine Grosbeaks are crimson with two white wingbars and a grayish wings and tail. The heads and rumps of females are gray, and they have dull orange bodies. They’re huge and sluggish, as compared to finches.
- Pinicola enucleator
- Length: 7.9-9.8 in (20-25 cm)
- Weight: 2.01 oz (57 g)
- Wingspan: 13.0 in (33 cm)
The majority of Pine Grosbeaks dwell in Canada, however they may be seen throughout the US border in the highlands, as well as California’s Sierra Nevada.
Pine Grosbeaks feed on seeds, fruit, and buds from pine, spruce, and fir trees in woodlands of these trees. In the summer, they may also consume certain insects.
Pine Grosbeak Call:
Pine Grosbeak nests are frequently discovered on a low tree approximately 10 to 12 feet above the ground. Nests contain two to five eggs and are constructed of twigs, barks, weeds, moss, and lichen. For about two weeks, the female sits on these eggs and they hatch.
With black oil sunflower seed feeders or suet feeders, attract Pine Grosbeaks to your backyards.
Fun Fact: The name of the pine grosbeak suits them. Pinicola is Latin for “pine dweller,” and it is their scientific name.
8. Pyrrhuloxia
The face, crest, breast, and tail of Pyrrhuloxia males are grey with a lot of red. Females have less red coloration than males.
- Cardinalis sinuatus
- Length: 8.3 in (21 cm)
- Weight: 0.8-1.5 oz (24-43 g)
They live in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico’s scorching deserts.
They fiercely defend their territory during the breeding season, but they may be seen in groups of up to 1000 birds during the winter.
Seeds are the primary food of Pyrrhuloxia, but insects are also eaten. Sunflower seeds are frequently offered at feeders, but they prefer to be strewn on the ground.
9. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Male
Female
Males of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are black-and-white birds with crimson chests, white bellies, and crimson heads. Their wings have a crimson tint to them as well.
Brown with considerable streaking and a flash of yellow beneath the wings, female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and immature males are brown.
- Pheucticus ludovicianus
- Length: 7.1-8.3 in (18-21 cm)
- Weight: 1.4-1.7 oz (39-49 g)
- Wingspan: 11.4-13.0 in (29-33 cm)
Northern US states, the Midwest, and southern and central Canada are home to Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. In the southern United States, they may be seen during migration. Winter is spent in the countries of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks may be found in a variety of settings, including woodlands, fairly open regions, parks, and backyards. Throughout the summer, they consume mostly insects, berries while migrating, and a combination of insects, seeds, and grains.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Song:
From twigs, grass, straw, and other plant matter, Rose-breasted Grosbeak nests take up to nine days to develop. The young spend another ten days outside the nest after laying up to five eggs that take two weeks to hatch.
Attract Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Sunflower seeds and peanuts are perfect for bringing to your garden.
Fun fact: Rather than the bright red patch, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks attack rivals’ white areas.
10. American Robin
On lawns, American Robins are common sights eating earthworms. They have red or orange breasts and black heads and backs. During the winter, they prefer to roost in trees, so you’ll most likely see them in your yard around spring.
- Turdus migratorius
- Length: 7.9-11.0 in (20-28 cm)
- Weight: 2.7-3.0 oz (77-85 g)
- Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)
The lower 48 states and Western Canada’s and Alaska’s coast are home to American Robins. Those that breed in Canada and inland Alaska go south for the winter, migrating to the south.
From woodlands, forests, and mountains to fields, parks, and lawns, American Robins may be found in a variety of ecosystems. Earthworms, insects, snails, and fruit are among the things they eat.
American Robin Song:
American Robin Call:
Sunflower seeds, suet, peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms are all great ways to attract American Robins to your yard. Best is to scatter food on the ground with platform feeders. In addition, consider planting berries-producing native plants such as juniper, sumac, Hawthorn, and dogwood.