Seeking participants for the House Finch Nest Survey

As spring approaches, keep a lookout for House Finches and their nests. Your observations are valuable to the House Finch Nest Survey for studying how nesting success influences House Finch eye disease prevalence the following fall and winter. In particular, we want to know how early House Finches begin nesting and how late in the season they continue to breed across North America.

Mary Samelson from Citrus Heights, California, kept tabs on a House Finch nest on her porch light.

Photo by Mary Samelson

During the pilot season in 2004, we received nest record cards from participants in 14 states and provinces. We were excited that participants sent detailed and accurate data, often backed up with photographs, to help us corroborate nestling ages. Many wrote about the rewards of participating in the study. Others hoped to participate but could not find House Finches near their homes. For tips about attracting breeding House Finches, see the article below.

Jo Freeman of Richmond, Virginia, sent nest record cards along with a scrapbook chronicling the lives of a House Finch family that nested in a wreath.

?I had three successful House Finch nests this summer on our second-floor covered porch?.I worried about nestlings in severe weather and cautiously eyed a Blue Jay that hung around for a while, and I was impressed with the attentiveness of the parent birds as they built the nest, incubated the eggs, and protected and fed the nestlings. Thank you for the opportunity to participate and for teaching me about House Finches and how to observe our suburban wildlife. I have learned so very much this summer.?

?Patricia Walsh, House Finch Nest Survey participant, Evanston, Illinois

We hope you?ll join us this year in looking for House Finch nests and monitoring them twice per week. There is no fee to participate. To sign up, visit www.birds.cornell.edu/hofisignup/nestsignup.html or contact the House Finch Disease Survey at housefinch@cornell.edu or (607)254-2469. We will send instructions and nest data cards, and be available to answer your questions.

?Melanie Driscoll and Sarah Goodwin, House Finch Nest Survey

For permission to reprint all or part of this article, please contact Laura Erickson, editor, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14850. Phone: (607) 254-1114. email: lle24@cornell.edu