purple finch

American  

noun

1. a North American finch, Carpodacus purpureus, having a raspberry-red head, breast, and rump.

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Etymology

Origin of purple finch

An Americanism dating back to 1720–30

Example Sentences

Her winged visitors amid the fragrant Meyer lemon trees and lavender bushes have included an American robin, mourning doves, dark-eyed Juncos, a purple finch and orange crowned sparrows.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2024

To do that, he needed first to accurately describe birds’ color, from the vibrant reddish orange of an American robin’s breast to the wine reds of the purple finch.

From National Geographic • Dec. 7, 2023

For example, the house finch almost always dominates the purple finch, and the purple finch almost always dominates the dark-eyed junco, but when house finch and junco face off directly, the junco often dominates.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 28, 2021

As part of the same pattern, the study projects that the iconic brown pelican could leave Louisiana, the mountain bluebird might migrate out of Idaho, and the purple finch might move from New Hampshire.

From Washington Post

As I went out to the spring in the morning to wash myself a purple finch flew up before me, having already performed its ablutions.

From Wake-Robin by Burroughs, John