Pink-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus rodochroa
14 cm
This Himalayan species occurs in China mainly in Shigatse Prefecture in southern Tibet. Breeds to 4500 m in forests with bushy cover and on grassy mountain slopes. Winters to about 1200 m, when sometimes seen around villages. Skulks in undergrowth. Male has bright pink forehead and long supercilium as well as bright pink rump and underparts. Crown, lores and eyestripe deep reddish-brown; mantle pinkish-brown with blackish streaks. Wings and tail blackish with brown fringing. Female has prominent buff supercilium contrasting with brown and lightly streaked ear coverts. Crown and nape grey-brown with black streaking. Mantle brownish-buff with broad black streaks. Tawny on weakly streaked rump. Tail and wings brown with buff fringes and a brown panel to wing; tertials, median and greater coverts tipped/edged buff. Whitish throat with thin black streks; tawny from breast to undertail coverts, with brown streaking (except on lower belly). Combination of characters (head pattern, coloration and streaking) identifies this species from other females; female dark-rumped is larger, stockier, and darker; Female Chinese white-browed is larger, has heavier streaking on underparts and paler belly. Male best distinguished from pink-rumped and beautiful rosefinches by brighter forehead. Bill grey-horn, feet brown. Monosyllabic, rising call, sweet, repeated at intervals of 1 second. — Craig Brelsford
THE ROSEFINCHES OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com covers all species in the genus Carpodacus in China. Click any link:
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Scarlet Finch C. sipahi
Streaked Rosefinch C. rubicilloides
Great Rosefinch C. rubicilla
Red-mantled Rosefinch C. rhodochlamys
Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch C. pulcherrimus
Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch C. davidianus
Pink-rumped Rosefinch C. waltoni
Pink-browed Rosefinch C. rodochroa
Dark-rumped Rosefinch C. edwardsii
Spot-winged Rosefinch C. rodopeplus
Sharpe’s Rosefinch C. verreauxii
Vinaceous Rosefinch C. vinaceus
Pale Rosefinch C. synoicus
Tibetan Rosefinch C. roborowskii
Sillem’s Rosefinch C. sillemi
Siberian Long-tailed Rosefinch C. sibiricus
Chinese Long-tailed Rosefinch C. lepidus
Pallas’s Rosefinch C. roseus
Three-banded Rosefinch C. trifasciatus
Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch C. thura
Chinese White-browed Rosefinch C. dubius
Red-fronted Rosefinch C. puniceus
Crimson-browed Finch C. subhimachalus
See also:
Taiwan Rosefinch Carpodacus formosanus
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
