Finch Forecast Predicts Fewer Visitors This Winter
The Finch Research Network's 2026-27 forecast expects fewer finches at yard trees and feeders across the region this season.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Bird Watching
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The Finch Research Network released its 2026-27 Winter Finch Forecast, predicting fewer finches will visit yard trees and feeders in the region this winter. The report covers finches, blue jays, red-breasted nuthatches, and Bohemian waxwings.
Why it matters
Poor seed crops in the central boreal region are pushing finches to move south and east into Eastern Canada, the Great Lakes region, and northeastern United States. Birders and feeder operators can expect different patterns than in prior winters.
The forecast covers finches, blue jays, red-breasted nuthatches, and Bohemian waxwings across 10 species for the 2026-27 season. It is authored by Tyler Hoar, and the report does not quantify expected bird numbers.
The players
Finch Research Network
A research organization based in Ontario, Canada, that publishes an annual winter bird movement report each fall.
Tyler Hoar
The author of the 2026-27 Winter Finch Forecast released by the Finch Research Network.
The details
Birds are expected to find ample natural food in northeastern conifer forests, so they will be in woods more than at feeders. Evening grosbeaks are predicted to form small to medium flocks in the Great Lakes region, while blue jays are expected to show an above-average southward flight along the western edge of the forecast region.
Timeline
Fall 2026: Finch Research Network releases its annual winter bird forecast.
August 2026: Whitefish Point reported larger than normal red crossbill numbers since August.
2026-27 winter season: The forecast period for finch and winter bird movements.
Seasonal Patterns
The Finch Research Network's annual Winter Finch Forecast tracks irruptions tied to seed-crop failures in the boreal forest, and this year's southward push fits that recurring pattern. Its prediction that pine grosbeaks will not flock this year contrasts with last year's crabapple-feeding flights in the Upper Peninsula.
Feeder operators may see fewer finches this winter, so expect quieter feeders in areas outside the predicted movement corridor. Watching woods and conifer stands may yield more sightings than backyard feeders this season.
The takeaway
Plan winter birding around woodland habitat rather than feeders if you want to see finches this year. Keep feeders stocked anyway, since finch movements shift quickly with seed-crop conditions.
Further reading
Explore more in Bird Watching to learn how seasonal finch movements shape what you see at your feeders.
More information
Read the complete Winter Finch Forecast 2026-2027 full report from the Finch Research Network.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Press.
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