Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
– —
Abundance: Fairly Common during late fall, winter, and spring of most winters, but this finch is slightly irruptive, so its abundance is somewhat variable and may be Uncommon (more often) or Common (less often) during some winters; recorded in 25 Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); the trend for the population wintering in the Region is uncertain but probably decreasing, perhaps as a response to climate change (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).
Status: Winter Resident.
Regional High Count: 200 (2 February 1981; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.); CBC/CBB High Count: 188 (30 December 1965; Barren County, Kentucky [Glasgow CBC]; m. ob.).
Regional Extreme Dates:
Early Fall: x (
Late Spring: x (
Note: Regional dates of earliest reported fall arrival and latest reported spring departure during winters from 2002–2003 to 2011–2012 follow:
| Winter of... | Early Fall Arrival Date | Late Spring Departure Date |
| 2002–2003 | 1 November | 1 April |
| 2003–2004 | 8 November | 11 May |
| 2004–2005 | 25 October | 5 May |
| 2005–2006 | 8 November | 5 May |
| 2006–2007 | 29 October | 16 March |
| 2007–2008 | 14 October | 5 May |
| 2008–2009 | 26 October | 22 April |
| 2009–2010 | 18 October | 28 April |
| 2010–2011 | 23 October | 17 May |
| 2011–2012 | 4 November |
Habitat: x
YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 14 (of 125) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 85 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, resulting in YardWatch frequency classifications of Uncommon and Common, respectively; these YardWatch frequency classifications are each inconsistent with the overall Regional abundance classification and speak to the somewhat variable population number of this finch from winter to winter.
Remarks: x
Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR
Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.
| Barren | Metcalfe | Adair | Russell | Pulaski |
| Monroe | Cumberland | Clinton | Wayne | McCreary |
| Macon | Clay | Pickett | Fentress | Scott |
| Smith | Jackson | Overton | Putnam | Morgan |
| DeKalb | White | Cumberland | ||
| Warren | Van Buren | Bledsoe |
Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR
Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.
Literature Cited
