I ignored them at first. I ignored them for so long and so hard that I didn’t know what I was ignoring. They are like one of those riddles, what is everywhere and almost invisible? Flying fast, they would blur by me, practically unnoticed, entering into my peripheral vision for a split second and then forgotten completely. Now I wonder how I missed them. Little birds landing everywhere: on the back of a pool chair, on the patio heater, on the ocotillo, hanging off the bougainvillea, perching sideways on a narrow window sill, even raiding the bird feeder in force. Their song fills the air so completely that it is almost missed. Still… ignored. Just completely ignored.
I have photographed every other bird in its proximity, researching bird details in guides and highlighting facts with discipline. Yet, not these little flyers. Not one mention.
Then one day, I started paying close attention when I found them through my big lens. 300 mm of reach allowed me to see into the tangled networks of the mesquite and palo verde trees and I found something I now like a lot: House Finches.
In the desert, things aren’t easy. There is always a predator waiting for lunch and days-long dangerous heat depleting the landscape paired with scarcity and competition. These are factors for species erasure. Unless you are a finch. Then you are going to solve each issue with built-in know-how.
They were not easy to sort out at first, speeding by at 30 mph. Sometimes flying hard for just 6 inches, evading tiny mesquite thorns and other times flying the full distance of my yard like a bullet. When they do land, they are often obscured by the tiniest branches and leaves. And they don’t sit still for very long. I started spending more time just watching them, ignoring all the other birds, and I was finally able to see finches for who they are.
The House Finch is a relentless bird. They can be seen making repeated effort with speed and precision. Making multiple focused flights to the feeder, landing and cracking through sunflower seeds like a wood chipper. Bits of discarded shells are sent through the air, visibly honoring their seed dispersal contract. As nest builders, they are highly adaptable, securing buildable nest sites and immediately transporting materials to finish projects on time and under budget.
They have mastered networking and communication. One flock finds a reliable seed source and the next thing you know, all their associates show up and the flock size multiplies by 3 or 5. And once the resource is depleted, they are quick to abandon it.
The male house finch breeding plumage ranges from the deep maroon of Karanda Red to the brighter tones of Red Alert and softer shades of Papaya Orange. The coloring appears just enough to be appealing and never overstated. The color streaks their brow, mixes in with breastplate feathering and another wisp appears in the middle of their back on the scapular feathers. The rest of their feathers come together in respectable shades of brown and tan, ready for the office or a lunch meeting in the mesquite. When they land and fold their wings together, a neat geometric pattern appears in perfect alignment. The color is not necessarily natural to finch plumage and they have to earn it by choosing the correct diet of carotenoids selected carefully from the desert flora that produce the brightest reds. A sharp-beaked, sharp-dressed executive tailored for the business of finching.
I should note, over time, I noticed the males seemed behaviorally easier to notice long before the females did. The females often disappeared into the architecture of the branches while the males exposed themselves more openly at feeders and perch points.
This discovery has endeared me to finches. I would notice if they weren’t here.
