Purple finch There are two subspecies of the purple finch, "H. p. purpureus" and "H. p. californicus". "H. p. californicus" was identified by Spencer F. Baird in 1858. It differs from the nominate subspecies in that it has a longer tail and shorter wings. The plumage of both males and females is darker, and the coloration of the females is more greenish. The bill of "C. p. californicus" is also longer than that of the nominate subspecies. Adults have a short forked brown tail and brown wings and are about in length and weigh . Adult males are raspberry red on the
Laysan finch it survived until the introduction of rats. The fossil record shows that the finch once had a greater range in Hawaii, reaching as far as Oahu, and that birds on Laysan represent a relict population. The Laysan finch nests in vegetation, laying three eggs in a cup-shaped nest. These are incubated for 16 days by the female, the male in turn feeding the female. The chicks fledge after three weeks, and are cared for by the parents for another three weeks. The Laysan finch is a generalist, feeding on seeds, small insects, fruit, carrion (of seabirds and Hawaiian monk seals),