Unusual Bird: White Headed House Finch

Have seen this bird at my feeders several times this winter.

Submitter: Alice Sudduth

Place: Davidson, NC, United States

Categories: Leucistic birds

Species: House Finch

Comments

120 comments on “Unusual Bird: White Headed House Finch”

    • Donna Rae Avery on

      I have had a white headed finch at my feeder two years now. Just got a close picture of her outside my studio window on Oct 29, 2022. Would like to post but can’t see were to.

      Reply
    • Terry Gorman on

      First time Ive ever seen this pretty bird at my feeders… he is traveling with gold finches, purple finches, sparrows and bluebirds. I live in So Jersey….2/17/24

      Reply
      • Sally on

        We also have a white headed house finch here in Indiana. First time we’ve seen one. Eats the black seed with lots of young Cardinals and other finches. The red headed woodpecker rules the roost though! Love these pretty birds!

        Reply
          • Danuta Braun on

            First saw this white headed finch when I put feeders out for first snow storm 9-11 inches, Boulder, CO. Thought I was seeing things, but it reappeared last 3 days. Amazing little guy!

  2. Bob & Laurel Musgrave on

    A white headed finch come to our Gresham, OR feeder this spring and has flocked with the other house finches. The other finches accept this bird, it is neither dominant or subordinate of the other finches. There is only one.

    Reply
  6. Kath on

    There is an actual breed of Finch with a full white head. I think that the above photo is that from pictures posted online. What I have coming to our feeder is a Finch with a small white cap on the top of it’s head and a white throat,- places that are usually pink. I think it is a mutant Finch bit cannot find any information on-line about it!

    Reply
    • Debbi on

      I have one too. Mine is a female House Finch. She has a mate so it will be interesting to see what the chicks look like! I live in MD north of Annapolis.

      Reply
    • Ava Johnson on

      Hi Kath, I believe that this is leucism. Leucism is the partial loss of pigments in an animal, which results in white or pale coloration.

      Reply
    • Caroline Rider on

      That is exactly what I have here in Staatsburg, NY now in April: house finch with abt 5 white patches on the head and.neck, rest pink/purple….

      Reply
  8. Margaret Emerson on

    We live in Fort Mill, sc and have an active feeding station for the last 4 years. 3 days ago a white headed house finch showed up at our feeder. First time ever and what a treat

    Reply
  16. Ginger Hostetler on

    Aurora, Colorado. February 2017 We’ve seen the white headed finch with the rosy breast for several years from time to time. only one travels with the house finches. Today we saw two. one looked smaller and no rosy breast. Maybe the baby?

    Reply
  17. Michael Orlowski on

    White headed finch at our feeder in Spring Hill, TN March 16, 2007. The first time we’ve seen one. He was white all over.

    Reply
  18. Ed Burton on

    Have one at Grand Chute, Wisconsin.
    I didn’t know what it was and found this link on a web search.
    I saw it last summer 2016, and again today May, 6, 2017
    It is living with a bunch of House Finches

    Reply
  19. Julia Woolard on

    We just saw the house finch with the white head. It looks marking wise like a female house finch with a very white head..
    So seems it is a leucistic house finch..so cool!! We live east of Indianapolis, in Greenfield, Indiana. Same house for 39 years…this is a life list sighting. Will post photo..does not stay still very long.

    Reply
  20. Lorraine Foster on

    I feed the birds every 2nd morning and today I saw a white headed finch amongst the other birds. We live on Cromwell. New Zealand

    Reply
  22. Judy Wallace on

    Saw a White Headed Finch at our Feeder and birdbath. He was with a group of other Finches! Looked like his little head got dunked in a pot of white paint! Saw him in the afternoon of Sep. 17, 2017 Old Station Ca.

    Reply
  26. Craig Stoker on

    Got several photos of what looks like a white headed house finch at our feeders today. Would send them but not sure how to do so.

    Reply
  27. Gary Anderson on

    We had a white headed finch with a group of house finches at our feeders yesterday and again this morning. It’s markings are like a female but has mostly white head. Red Deer Ab

    Reply
  28. BeeBuzz on

    Oxford OH;; A white headed house finch appeared at our feeder this year; Saw it for the first time 2 or three weeks ago.Have seen it 2 or 3 times now

    Reply
  32. Polly Dupree on

    We’ve seen one several times at our feeder over the past 2 weeks. We are in New Hill 8 miles south of Apex, NC

    Reply
  40. Vickie Crysler on

    I had a white headed finch at my house in Portageville, MO this morning. I first saw it in a tree. Then I put safflower seed on our fence and it came down to eat along with some other finches and cardinals. Actually, I thought one of the finches had gotten into someone’s white paint! Then I looked it up and was surprised to see others have seen them as well, all over the country!

    Reply
    • Ava Johnson on

      Hi Vickie, I believe that Finch has leucism. Leucism is the partial loss of pigments in an animal, which results in white or pale coloration.

      Reply
  44. Jerry Wade on

    White Headed Finch on our back yard feeder with other finches November 5, 2018 about 8am. it was here about a month ago as well. Yreka, CA

    Reply
  45. Gary Evenson on

    I’ve noticed one showing up and feeding on the thistle socks with the goldfinches and other finches here in north New Jersey. Also showed up a few times over summer and seems to mingle well with other the others while feeding.

    Reply
  46. Carol Strome on

    Just saw a whited headed, white breasted sparrow or finch at my feeder. It didn’t stay long and I was so surprised that I didn’t get a good ID.

    Reply
  47. John Diercks on

    Just saw my first ever white headed small bird. Assuming it was white headed finch as it was eating at thistle feeder with other finches. Metrowest MA

    Reply
  48. Joseph Weinel on

    We have a female finch with a white patch on the side of her head. Is this a white finch or some type of unusual plumage variation.

    Reply
  51. Kate Pitrone on

    Chardon, Ohio on January 3, we had this bird at our feeder. I’ve been trying to find out what it is and since it isn’t supposed to be here, couldn’t until I googled a description.

    Reply
  52. Kira Beckham on

    I just had one of these at my new feeder. Absolutely beautiful with the red breast but white head. He was hanging out with other house finch, goldfinch and chickadees. Absolutely beautiful.

    Reply
  54. Krys on

    Had a female house finch whose head was 90% white visit my feeder in Harrisonburg VA. First appeared on 1/13 when we had snow (so I initially thought that was snow on her head). Then had her return daily 1/26-1/30 (no snow any of those days) with her male house finch to the backyard feeder. Same 90% white pattern on her head. Interesting comment chain here so wanted to add this East Coast sighting.

    Reply
  55. Thomas Trigg LUPHER on

    A white-headed house finch (?) has been coming to my feeder the past week or so, along with many American goldfinches and pine siskins. Not sure if it is a house finch or a pine siskin with a white head. The streaks on the breast are subdued compared to the siskins. Thought maybe it is a male house finch who hasn’t gotten his red feathers in. I have several photos not real good light. Today is February 11, 2019.

    Reply
  59. Krys on

    Saw the same female finch with a white head again today at our feeder (which mainly has sunflower seeds). We hadn’t seen her since late Jan/early Feb. She’s been back visiting the feeder daily with a male house finch (he has normal male house finch markings) over this past week. The pair’s visits seem connected to when it’s particularly cold/snowy here in the VA Shenandoah valley.

    Reply
  61. Margarita Oquendo on

    I have a white finch like bird with brown feathers and a brown top head what kind of bird would it be I can’t seem to find any like it any where and I would like to breed it it came with a partner but one die what can I do

    Reply
  62. Deb on

    Just had white headed house finch at feederin Southern Ohio. . a first, although I have upward of 25 different birds at my various feeders

    Reply
  64. Joan on

    White headed house finch here in Coeur D’Alene Idaho. It is at my sunflower seed feeder. Feeding with house finches and gold finches.

    Reply
  70. Dana Cornett on

    We have a white headed house finch we have affectionately named “Al”. We see him regularly at our home in Branson, MO.

    Reply
  74. Ashley Charles on

    Trying to identify a small, finch-sized bird seen near Ridgway, CO, in piñon pine forest. Flew much like a finch. Had a black body, definitely black, with a completely white head similar to the photo above. No rosy breast, just black and white. Can’t find this bird in any identification publication.

    Reply
    • Holly Faulkner, Project Assistant on

      Hi Ashley, It is likely that you saw a bird with a pigment abnormality, as the individual in the photo above has. You can learn more about leucism and albinism here. It sounds likely that you saw a Dark-eyed Junco with one of these pigment abnormalities, as there are no birds in North America that have all-white heads and black bodies, and also live in your area of Colorado.

      Reply
  77. Steven Ste.Croix on

    Saw a house finch moments ago with a predominantly white head. Thought I saw it yesterday but today I had a clear view with binoculars. Had all the markings of a female house finch, but for the predominantly white head.

    Reply
  78. Belinda Vasquez on

    Just saw a white headed finch at my feeder – Thursday, August 30 / 7:51am / San Diego, California. It is absolutely beautiful!

    Reply
  79. E. Bravo on

    Seeing a white headed finch (actually looks like it just has a white cap on its head) eating at our feeder along with all the other finches. (Yorktown, VA)

    Reply
  84. Barbara James on

    A white headed house finch has been visiting my feeder in Seattle, WA. He hangs out with a flock of house finches. With his snowy white head he looks like a miniature eagle. So pretty!

    Reply
  87. Liz on

    Just saw my first white headed male house finch with a new flock at my feeder….avoiding a storm I am guessing. His chest is brilliant crimson, and front and back of head is bright white. Very unusual!

    Reply
  89. Willmar, MN on

    I have had one white headed finch this year, one that was completely leucistic(almost totally drained of color) and one this morning with a white stripe on its head. All females. What’s going on?

    Reply
  90. Diane Libby on

    Saw my first white headed house finch on the ground below our feeder today. Am I the first here to report from New England? I’m in Massachusetts. Our looks almost identical to the one in the photo above. Such a cutie!

    Reply
  92. Sara T on

    We have had white-headed finches for 2-3 years here in Fredericksburg VA. There are 2 at our feeders right now.headscare totally white.

    Reply
  93. E on

    I’ve seen one recently at my feeder in Sacramento California. Absolutely amazing! It was skittish and I was unable to capture quality photo.

    Reply
  94. Thomas Carpenter on

    Saw one small bird at about 70 feet away, white head like an adult eagle. It was foraging with robins next door. I have never seen one like this before. Been here 50 plus years. Location Fairfield in Newark,Delaware.

    Reply
  95. Kathi Hull on

    Saw a small bird with a Snow White head near our feeder. Identified as a White Headed House Finch couldn’t get a picture before it flew away. I live in Central Texas and whatever my feeders quite often but have never seen it before. Will be watching.

    Reply
  97. Gerald Grzeca on

    It looks like I have a white headed finch hanging around our feeders in Hales Corners, Wis.
    Thought that I had a White Headed Chirping Sparrow until I saw it fly off with several finches.

    tt

    Reply
  99. William D Hopwood on

    i also have noticed this white headed sparrow or finch since late auttum last year,and now there is another one with a brighter white head and a patch of white at the bottom of the tail end , i happen to live in phila. pa.

    Reply
  100. David Tuttle on

    I also saw a white headed male house finch today. The white covered the face ,went under the chin and around to the upper back of the head. he is hanging with about 3 dozen other House Fences and Sparrows. Swift Current ,Saskatchewan, Canada November 18, 2022.

    Reply
  101. Nancy Malefyt on

    I saw and identified a White-headed House finch at our feeder today, Nov. 19. 2022 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Never saw one here before. He stands out from the sparrows and other finches with his bright white head.

    Reply
    • Rob Diebboll on

      We have a white headed finch at our feeder today, first one we’ve seen. Hey Mark F., we lived across the street from you years agao and just noticed your post here while I was searching for info on this finch. Cheers from Rockport and happy birding!

      Reply
  107. Paul impelluso on

    Yep…just like the picture…white headed house finch…southern maryland…on the ground….feeding

    Reply

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