BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 15 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Purple Finch In Sierra Nevada

All regionsSierra NevadaGeneralists

Purple Finch in Sierra Nevada has fallen sharply: down 70% on the route-weighted index since 1970.

-70%Since 1970
36Routes In Region
56Years

Notable Signals

long arc declinecomputed index

Purple Finch has fallen sharply in Sierra Nevada: down 70% on the route-weighted index since 1970.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Purple Finch in Sierra Nevada is projected to fall about 71% by 2029 — from 2.8 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.81 (95% range 0.00–4.5). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±65%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-71%Change by 2029
0.81Projected 2029 index
0.00–4.595% range
±65%Backtest error
19682029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected index95% low95% high
20251.30.005.0
20261.20.004.8
20271.00.004.7
20280.930.004.6
20290.810.004.5

Routes In Sierra Nevada

Routes recording Purple Finch in Sierra Nevada.
Greenhorn MtCALIFORNIA182008
Tuolumne GroveCALIFORNIA162024
RivertonCALIFORNIA132023
CoultervilleCALIFORNIA92019
Lassen ParkCALIFORNIA81981
Cottage SpgsCALIFORNIA81970
PlacervilleCALIFORNIA62024
WestvilleCALIFORNIA52024
GeneseeCALIFORNIA52024
LakeshoreCALIFORNIA52024
WawonaCALIFORNIA52024
LumberyardCALIFORNIA42023
JohnsvilleCALIFORNIA32024
SattleyCALIFORNIA32008
WoodfordsCALIFORNIA22024
Silver CityCALIFORNIA22013
Kings CanyonCALIFORNIA22024
DownievilleCALIFORNIA22023
Meadow ValleyCALIFORNIA22024
Forest HillCALIFORNIA22022
StrawberryCALIFORNIA22019
Eagle LakeCALIFORNIA12023
DardanelleCALIFORNIA12019
Bass LakeCALIFORNIA12019
Butte MeadowCALIFORNIA12012

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22.