If you catch any glimpses of red, then you can be fairly sure you've just seen a House Finch

. The males of this species have red faces, breasts, and rumps. By contrast, House Sparrow males have gray heads, whitish cheeks, and a black bib under the chin.

What bird has a reddish breast?

The House Finch, the most common and widespread of the three, typically has a red head, breast, and rump, but does not have red coloring on its brown back or wings. This helps to differentiate it from the other two. Female House Finches have blurrier streaks and grayer undersides than the other two species.

How can you tell a sparrow from a finch?

Finches have smaller, more delicate bills that are more sharply pointed. Sparrows generally have longer tails that they are more apt to actively flash, wag, or wave. Finches have shorter tails that are generally narrower, and they do not flash their tails as frequently.