Montifringilla adamsi
The Black-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla adamsi) is a striking high-altitude passerine, perfectly adapted to the harsh, remote environments of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Measuring approximately 16-17 cm (6.3-6.7 inches) in length with a weight of 30-40 grams (1.1-1.4 oz), its most distinctive field mark is the stark contrast of its glossy black wings, adorned with a prominent large white patch, against a grey head, white underparts, and a pale rump. Taxonomically, it belongs to the ...
Found in high-altitude alpine zones, barren rocky slopes, plateaus, and sparse montane grasslands, typically above the tree line. Exclusively inhabits cold, windswept landscapes often near human settlements or pastoral areas at extreme elevations.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on small seeds from alpine plants, supplemented with insects and their larvae, especially during the breeding season. Forages almost exclusively on the ground by gleaning and scratching.
Black-winged Snowfinches are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging on the ground, often scratching amongst sparse vegetation or under rocks for food. Outside the breeding season, they are highly gregarious, forming loose to dense flocks, sometimes mixing with other snowfinch species, pro...
The Black-winged Snowfinch is endemic to the high-altitude plateaus and mountain ranges of Central Asia and the Himalayas. Its primary breeding range spans the vast Tibetan Plateau, covering extensive areas of China (specifically Xizang, Qinghai, and parts of Sichuan and Gansu), Nepal, Bhutan, an...
Least Concern
- The Black-winged Snowfinch is one of the highest-dwelling passerines in the world, regularly found at elevations over 5,000 meters (16,400 feet). - Its bill changes color dramatically, from a dull yellowish-horn in winter to a bright yellow in breeding plumage, a common trait in some finch-like...