Red-fronted Rosefinch

Carpodacus puniceus

A large finch of extreme conditions, this is a breeder of sparsely vegetated, often barren environments such as glacier and cliff edges, rocky slopes, scrubby open meadows, and boulder fields; descends into open or scrubby habitat in the winter. Male is dark streaky brown with a crimson face and breast; female is streaky brown all over with no hint of a facial pattern. Large size and habitat serve to distinguish this from similar species.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Carpodacus puniceus
Authority
(Blyth, 1845)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Fringillidae
Genus
Carpodacus

Range and habitat

Breeding range
PAL, OR : sc Palearctic in Altai, Himalayan, Tibetan Plateau high-alpine scree, meadows, bogs, cliffs: se Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, w Xinjiang (nw China) and ne Afghanistan through Tibetan Plateau to Qinghai and Gansu and s through Himalayas to n Myanmar and n Yunnan (sc China)
Non-breeding range
some altitudinal movement during severe weather
Migration
Vertical migration

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Long-crested Eagle

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Large, chunky, blackish eagle with a towering, floppy crest. In flight, the wing shows much white below and less above. Found in woodland, plantations, and open forest. Perches for long periods, and only occasionally soars. Call is a long, powerful “kweeeeya.” Separated from Verreaux’s Eagle by different shape: more compact, with a shorter tail and broader, squared-off wings.

Large Ground-Finch

Large Ground-Finch

Geospiza magnirostris

A large Galápagos finch with a bulky bill. Bill typically appears bulbous, showing a ridge along the upper edge that juts up where it meets the crown feathers. Bill is black on breeding male and dull orange on female and nonbreeding male. Adult male’s plumage is sooty-black; female is brown with paler underparts that are streaked with gray. Medium Ground-Finch has smaller, shallower bill lacking ridge along the top. However, bill size varies among individuals, and not all birds can be confidently identified. Common in arid habitats near the coast, and scarce in the highlands. Found on most islands, but absent from Baltra, Santa Fé, San Cristóbal, Española, Darwin, and Wolf. Formerly occurred on Floreana, but there are no recent records.

Rufous-winged Sparrow

Rufous-winged Sparrow

Peucaea carpalis

Subtly marked sparrow with a poor name; "rufous wing" is restricted to a tiny, barely visible patch on the shoulder. Gray head and neck with peaked rufous crown and rufous eyeline. Stout pink bill. Sides are buff and unstreaked on adults. Back and wings are also buffy with fine markings. Paler throat is edged with thin dark lines. Primarily a Mexican species with very limited range in the U.S.; found in pairs or small flocks in brushy grasslands. Variable song usually composed of a few clear tinkling notes and trills.

Start Your Bird Watching Journey

Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.