Importance of Color in Male House Finches

As we know there is a great deal of color variation between male House Finches, from yellow-orange to bright red. All you have to do is look at all the finches that show up at your feeders to see the differences. House Finches get their color from a carotenoid-rich diet (berries), and studies have shown that females have a strong preference for the brightly color red males. Males get their intense color during their annual molt, from the carotenoid pigments that they consume, as they replace their feathers. To a female, the brighter red a male is, the better his foraging instincts are, which equates to a better provider for her brood.