Their best distinguishing feature is their song. Males are yellowish to bright red, with dark brown streaks on their sides and bellies.
Females are streaked and brown, with plain faces.
Purple finch females have striped faces. Nests are shallow cups made of twigs, grasses, hair, string, cigarette butts, or wool, built in bird houses, hanging plants, branches, climbing vines, holes in trees, and under eaves. The northeastern population was introduced on Long Island, N.Y. in the early 1940's. The birds now cover nearly all of northeastern North America. Eggs are white, with black or brown spots.