Anne Price at the Raptor Education Foundation sent this photo of an oddly- marked house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) trapped at a banding station.
They seem to be an exceptionally variable species, with males in particular varying from almost all red to brown with just traces of red. Could this have something to do with the fact that they are almost as human- associated (dependent?) as house sparrows? Though they are native to the American west, they now nest into New Engand.
The ones around here are quite red. Where was that one caught?
Denver
This bird should go into politics. It’s obviously a Whitehouse Finch.