Looking for Purple Finches

[Julia]

Hi everyone, we need your help.

Toronto Wildlife Centre currently has a female purple finch in care.  She came in from the west end of downtown Toronto at the end of November.  She is recovering from her injuries and should be up for release soon.

Normally we release wild animals as close as possible to where we found them.  In this case, though, since finches are such social birds, and since she was found in an area where purple finches are exceedingly rare, we're hoping to find a flock to release her into.

Here's where all you great birders come in:

Please let us know if you see any purple finches in the GTA - at your feeder, in the park, anywhere.   Spread the word among all your friends with binoculars or feeders.  If you're not sure whether what you're seeing are purple finches or house finches, we (and a lot of folks on this board I'm sure!) can help ID them if you post photos.  

We (and our purple finch patient!) really need your help.

Thanks a lot
Julia and all the staff and volunteers at Toronto Wildlife Centre

[Carl-Adam]

Purple finches are  rare in the GTA but you can occasionally find them hanging out with groups of house finches. Perhaps releasing her with house finches would be best.

[Ann Brokelman]

I have sent you a PM as I saw 3 last weekend.  Ann

[Julia]

Thanks to everyone who looked around and sent me personal messages.  The finch was released in a nice woody area close to where she was found, and near some railroad tracks which wildlife often used as transportation corridors.  And I swear, after we released her, I heard a small bird "chinking" its way towards the pines where we let her go.  Never got a look at him, but I'm crossing my fingers hoping it was one of her "people".  

Julia

[Luv2Bird]

Hi Julia,

I guess I'm too late.   We saw a whole family of male and female House finches  on Jan. 30th at Lake Wabukayne in Mississauga.  Glad to hear you let her go and that perhaps one of her "people" found her!! Great story.

Sue