- Leucosticte tephrocotis
Identification
Length 6.25" (16cm.) Wingspan 13" (33cm.). Slender medium-sized bird with long wings and tail adapted for flight at altitude. Plain brown underparts, gray head with black throat and forehead; rosy-pink accents on shoulders and belly, triangular yellow bill. Females are slightly drabber. There are considerable variations in regional subspecies.
Similar Species
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, Black Rosy-Finch. These are considered conspecific by some authorities. Range differences can help in idenfication; all have variation in plumage that can make separation tricky.
Distribution
Aleutian Islands to western Canada and northwest U.S. and eastern California. Winters east to western South Dakota and Nebraska. Accidental vagrant to eastern and midwestern United States.
Taxonomy
Seven subspecies are recognized:[1]
Habitat
Open ground in tundra areas; in winter open ground in mountainous regions to the south. Some populations are year-round in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada Mountains of the western USA.
Behaviour
Hop on ground, foraging on tundra, or on high rocky terrain often near on on melting snow patches where insects can be found.
References
- Clements, JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Gray-crowned_Rosy_Finch