Another ID please!

[Diane Miller]

Shot today in northern CA (60 mi NW of San Francisco), attracted to my feeders along with House Finches and some Purples. Is it a juvenile (or first year, if finches take a while to mature colors) not yet developed its red color? (I hear the color depends on their diet.) Of so, House or Purple?? I haven't seen any yet that have the "horns" of a juvenile.

Not a trophy image -- salvaged from fill flash not going off, and it didn't sit still for a good pose. But maybe enough for ID.

Thanks for any help -- I'm new to birds and getting addicted, but have so much to learn.

[Dan Brown]

Hi Diane. This looks like a male House Finch of the orange type. They can be yellow, orange or red but most are red.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, Dan! We seem to have a lot of variability in our finches. I hadn't found any reference to orange or yelow ones, though, even on the internet. Need better bird books.