Doo, Doo, Doo, Looking Out My Backdoor VI: House Finch

This is a fine example of a male House Finch. The species is not native to America, but was introduced into New England in the 1940's. They have now spread over pretty much the entire country.  There is a reason they are called a House Finch. They like to build their nests around human habitations taking advantage of being able to build under eaves and keeping their nests dry. The shadow passing over the bird's breast would pretty much exclude it from use in a bird magazine or book.

This female had gathered nesting material and was waiting for me to leave the porch so she could come in a add it to her nest in a hanging basket. There is not the slightest bit of red in her feathers to link her to the male.

Here is the hanging basket in which she built her nest. It did not bother her in the least that the plants were all fake. She laid a second batch of eggs within a week of fledgling the first brood! While they are prolific, it is probably due to a low survival rate.

I didn't understand it, but this female had two males that were bringing in food for the babies. I could tell them apart because the second male was thinner and had a peak on the top of it's head. That, and the fact that this one would try to chase him away. It is the only case avian polygamy I have personally ever seen.