Bird

Purple Finch

Carpodacus purpureus

Lives in West Virginia all year and nests here. Found in all 55 counties, across 14 habitats.

Here: All year
Nesting: Nests here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 14

Male Purple Finch, whole bird — **Male**. (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY). CC BY. iNaturalist photo 620580860. iNaturalist large derivative; no local crop or retouch.

At a glance

Group: Birds
Here: All year
Nesting: Nests here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 14
Habitat models: Summer, Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 14

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 14

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

SummerWinterSouthern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest; Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland; Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

SummerWinterCentral Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

SummerWinterDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Harvested Forest - Shrub Regeneration

Hemlock forests

Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.

SummerWinterAppalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest

Moderately dry forests

Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.

SummerWinterNortheastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

WinterSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest

Mountain balds

Treeless grassy or shrubby summits and ridges in the high mountains.

SummerWinterSouthern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Shrub Modifier; Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Herbaceous Modifier

Rich cove forests

Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.

WinterSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

SummerWinterDeveloped, Open Space; Cultivated Cropland; Pasture/Hay; Disturbed/Successional - Grass/Forb Regeneration; Utility Swath - Herbaceous; Ruderal Upland - Old Field

Shale barrens

Steep, sun-baked slopes of loose shale with sparse oaks and Virginia pine and their own endemic wildflowers. Linked only where the source names shale barrens; calcareous shale stays with the limestone glades.

SummerWinter

Spruce-fir forests

Cool, evergreen forests of red spruce and Fraser fir on the highest mountains.

SummerWinter

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; Cumberland Riverscour; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian

Swamps

Forested wetlands with standing water much of the year, such as cypress and gum swamps.

SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

SummerWinterDeciduous Plantation; Evergreen Plantation or Managed Pine; Managed Tree Plantation

Other habitats in its models (171)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia.

Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter.
Developed, Medium Intensity Summer and winter.
Developed, High Intensity Summer and winter.
Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Winter.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter.
Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Winter.
North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Winter.
North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter.
East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Winter.
East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Winter.
Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Winter.
Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Winter.
Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Winter.
Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Winter.
Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Flatwoods Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Winter.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer and winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Winter.
Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Summer and winter.
Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Winter.
East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer and winter.
North-Central Oak Barrens Summer and winter.
Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Winter.
Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer and winter.
Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Winter.
Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Winter.
Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Winter.
Central Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
Southern Blackland Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Winter.
Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Winter.
Recently Burned Grassland Winter.
Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Summer and winter.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Winter.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Winter.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Winter.
Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Winter.
Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Winter.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Winter.
Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer and winter.
Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter.
Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome Winter.
Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Winter.
Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Winter.
Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Winter.
Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Winter.
Mississippi River Riparian Forest Winter.
Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Winter.
Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
Red River Large Floodplain Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Winter.
Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.