Whoever gave the Purple Finch its name must have been colour blind as the Purple Finch is definitely not purple, it is more the colour of raspberries. In most years the Purple Finch is more common in summer in Nova Scotia than during the winter months. Despite its relative scarceness compared with the other winter finches it remains a well talked about species among winter feeder watchers. This is no doubt due to the male's bright plumage and its tendency to show up in large numbers during some winters.

When many people see their first Purple Finch, they automatically assume that it is a House Finch. At the moment in Nova Scotia, House Finches occur in much lower numbers than Purple Finches but are increasing their population. The best way to tell the males of these two species apart is to check their sides. House Finches have heavy brown streaks on their sides and bellies while the Purples do not. Colour is also fairly reliable as most House Finches are brick red in colour but be careful as they can also be orange or, very rarely, raspberry pink. The females of both species look like sparrows but act and eat like finches. To tell the females apart from each other, check the sides of their faces. The female Purple Finch has a distinct dark brown patch through their eyes that is bordered by a light stripe that runs over the top of the eye. The female House Finch has a plain brown featureless face. Also, the white feathers under the base of the tail of House Finches are streaked wth brown; in Purple Finches, they are pure white.

Unlike other finches, House Finches are very aggressive and dominating, driving most other birds away from any feeder they discover. For this reason backyard birders will often provide feeders that discourage House Finches so some of the other birds get a chance to feed as well. Purple Finches, on the other hand, are not aggressive and are popular with feeder watchers as they have the tendency to stay at feeders longer than some other species, providing viewers with a good look at them. Purple Finches are just as common in cities and towns as they are in the country but appear most frequently in yards that have evergreens and berry bushes.