Black Rosy-Finch
Black Rosy-Finch
Leucosticte atrata
At a Glance
High mountains of the northern Great Basin region, from northeastern Nevada to southwestern Montana, are the stronghold of this uncommon bird. The Black Rosy-Finch spends the summer around the snowfields and barren tundra of the rocky crags, where few birders venture. In winter, however, flocks come down into the high valleys. The striking males, their black plumage contrasting with touches of pale rose, make a beautiful spectacle against the snow.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Finches, Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Endangered
Habitat
Desert and Arid Habitats, High Mountains
Region
Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Southwest
Behavior
Flitter, Rapid Wingbeats, Undulating
Population
120.000
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
Most apparently move downhill in late fall, with flocks appearing in high valleys and plateaus in winter, including areas some distance to south of breeding range.
Description
Sexes similar — Length: 6-7 in (15-18 cm); wingspan: 13-14 in (33-36 cm); weight: 1-1.4 oz (28-40 g). The male Black Rosy-Finch shows striking contrast between black body plumage and gray nape band, rosy belly and wing patches. Female much plainer, may be darker than other species. All rosy-finches have black bill in summer, yellow in winter.
Size
About the size of a Robin, About the size of a Sparrow
Color
Black, Brown, Gray, Pink, Red
Wing Shape
Pointed
Tail Shape
Notched, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
A variety of low cheep notes are used in various situations: as a contact call in flight and in proclaiming an occupied nesting territory.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat
Call Type
Chatter, Chirp/Chip, Hi
Habitat
Rocky summits, alpine snowfields and tundra; winters in open country at lower levels. Breeds on barren tundra of mountain peaks, mostly in rocky areas and often near persistent snowfields. Winters in open country of mountains and nearby valleys, often coming into towns.
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Behavior
Eggs
A Black Rosy-Finch generally lays 4-5 eggs, sometimes 3. The eggs are white, unmarked. Incubation is by female only, about 12-14 days.
Young
Both parents feed the nestlings, although the female may do most of it at first. Young probably leave the nest about 20 days after hatching, are fed by their parents for at least another two weeks. One brood per year.
Feeding Behavior
Forages mostly on ground or on snow. Sometimes flies up to catch insects in mid-air.
Diet
The Black Rosy-Finch feeds mainly on seeds of grasses and weeds, especially in winter, when these may make up virtually entire diet. Also eats some buds and leaves, and eats many insects in summer. Young are fed mostly insects. Will eat salt.
Nesting
Males apparently outnumber females, and during the breeding season a male who has a mate usually attends her closely to keep rival males away. Nest: Located in a well-protected site in a crevice or hole in a cliff, usually in an inaccessible place; sometimes in a niche among boulders of a rockslide. Nest (built by female) is a bulky open cup of grass and moss, lined with fine grass, animal hair, and sometimes feathers.
Conservation
Conservation Status
The Black Rosy-Finch is rather uncommon and local. Numbers probably stable at the moment, but its mountaintop habitats are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Climate Threats Facing the Black Rosy-Finch
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
