4 Birds that are PINK in West Virginia! (2025)

Did you see a PINK bird in West Virginia?

Types of pink birds in West Virginia

I’m guessing you need help figuring out which species you saw with pink feathers. Well, you’ve come to the right place! To help you make an identification, I have included several photographs of each bird and detailed range maps.

4 Pink BIRDS IN West Virginia:


#1. House Finch

  • Haemorhous mexicanus

Types of pink birds in West Virginia

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Males are pinkish around their heads and upper breasts. They have brown streaks on their back, tail, and belly.
  • Females are brown with streaks on their back, tail, and belly.
  • Both sexes have notched tails and conical beaks designed to eat seeds.

It’s common to see these pink birds in West Virginia near people.

Look for them around buildings, backyards, parks, and other urban and suburban areas. As you can see, only males have pinkish-red coloring.

House Finch Range Map

house finch range map

House Finches are often the first birds to discover new bird feeders. These birds are intensely curious and rarely travel alone, so their arrival often helps other birds find your feeders, too! I see them eating sunflower, Nyjer, and safflower seeds in my yard.

House Finches have an enjoyable song, which can be heard year-round. Listen below to a series of jumbled, warbled notes.

YouTube video

#2. Purple Finch

  • Haemorhous purpureus

Types of pink birds in West Virginia

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Small, with a conical seed-eating bill.
  • Males have a raspberry red or pink head, breast, and back.
  • Females have prominent streaks of white and brown below, with strong facial markings, including a whitish eyebrow and a dark line down the side of the throat.

Male Purple Finches are described as looking like they were dipped in raspberry juice.

Look for these beautiful pink birds visiting feeders in West Virginia, especially during winter. Your best chance to attract them is using black-oil sunflower seeds. Having conifer trees in your yard is also a great way to encourage them to visit.

Purple Finch Range Map

purple finch range map

Purple Finches can be challenging to identify because they look incredibly similar to the more common House Finch. I’ve made this mistake many times, believing that I saw a Purple Finch when it was, in fact, just another House Finch. To tell them apart, look at their back. The Purple Finch’s back has pink or red coloring, while the back of a House Finch has none.

Males sing a rich, musical warble. Listen below!


#3. Mourning Dove

  • Zenaida macroura

Types of pink birds in West Virginia

Identifying Characteristics:

  • A mostly grayish dove with large black spots on the wings and a long, thin tail.
  • Look for pinkish legs, a black bill, and a distinctive blue eye ring.
  • Males and females look the same.

This species is one of the most common birds in West Virginia.

But at first glance, it’s hard to see any pink coloring on them. But look closer, and you will notice that Mourning Doves have PINK legs! 🙂

Mourning Dove Range Map

mourning dove range map

Mourning Doves are common visitors to bird feeding stations. They need a flat place to feed, so the best feeders for them are trays or platforms. They are most comfortable feeding on the ground, so throw a bunch of food there, too.

It’s common to hear these pink-legged birds in West Virginia.

Listen for a low “coo-ah, coo, coo, coo.In fact, this mournful sound is how the dove got its name! Many people commonly mistake this sound for an owl. (Press PLAY below!)

YouTube video

#4. White-winged Crossbill

  • Loxia leucoptera

Types of pink birds in West Virginia

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Look for the crisscrossed bill, which is used to separate pinecone scales to access the seeds.
  • Males are rose-pink with black wings and tails. Look for two white lines of contrasting color across the middle of the wing.
  • Females and young males are yellowish but with the same wing and tail pattern as the adult males.

White-winged Crossbills get their name from the shape of their bill! These unique beaks are perfect for cracking open pinecones to access the seeds inside.

Crossbills LOVE eating conifer seeds and can consume up to 3,000 each day. In fact, some people can locate these pink birds in West Virginia by hearing them crunching while opening cones in the trees.

White-winged Crossbill Range Map

white-winged crossbill range map

White-winged Crossbills are opportunistic breeders. As long as adequate food is available, females will breed at ANY time of the year.

Both sexes sing a mixture of vigorous and scattered chirps, warbles, and rattles. Listen below!


Learn more about other birds in West Virginia!


Which of these pink birds have you seen in West Virginia?

Let us know in the comments!

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