Leucosticte atrata
The Black Rosy Finch is a robust, medium-sized finch, typically measuring 14-16 cm (5.5-6.3 inches) in length with a wingspan of 25-30 cm (9.8-11.8 inches). It is primarily dark-bodied, appearing blackish-brown overall, with striking rosy-pink patches on its belly, rump, and wing coverts, which contrast sharply with its dark plumage. Distinctive field marks include its dark, almost sooty body, a subtle gray crown, and vibrant pink highlights, especially when observed in its preferred high-alp...
Found in high-alpine tundra, rocky slopes, cirques, and cliffs, typically above the tree line, often associated with persistent snowfields and glaciers. In winter, they descend to slightly lower elevations but remain in mountainous, often windswept areas.
Primarily consumes seeds from alpine grasses and forbs, supplemented by insects (e.g., craneflies, grasshoppers, beetles, larvae), foraging mainly by gleaning from the ground or probing snow.
Black Rosy Finches are diurnal, roosting communally in sheltered rock crevices or under ledges to survive the extreme cold and wind of their habitat. They are primarily ground gleaners, actively searching for seeds and insects on exposed rocks, sparse vegetation, and especially along the edges of...
The Black Rosy Finch is an endemic specialist of the high mountains of the intermountain western United States. Its primary breeding range extends through the Rocky Mountains, specifically from central Idaho and western Montana south through Wyoming, Utah, and western Colorado. Breeding territori...
Least Concern
- The Black Rosy Finch is one of the highest-altitude breeding birds in North America, often nesting above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) where few other birds can survive. - They possess a remarkable ability to tolerate extreme cold, having higher metabolic rates and denser plumage than many other b...