Montifringilla henrici
The Tibetan Snowfinch, *Montifringilla henrici*, is a robust, high-altitude specialist, typically measuring 15-17 cm in length and weighing 25-40 grams. Adults exhibit a brownish-grey plumage overall, punctuated by a striking white patch on the wings, particularly noticeable in flight, and broad white edges on the tertials. Males are distinguished by a prominent black facial mask encompassing the lores, forehead, and chin, often complemented by chestnut patches on the flanks, and a sturdy, ho...
Found in high-altitude plateaus, alpine steppes, rocky slopes, and mountain passes, typically above the tree line. Often congregates near human settlements during winter months.
Primarily granivorous, consuming seeds of high-altitude grasses and forbs, supplemented with invertebrates (insects, spiders) particularly during the breeding season. They readily scavenge human food scraps in winter.
Tibetan Snowfinches are primarily diurnal, actively foraging during daylight hours and often roosting communally in sheltered rock crevices or under overhangs during cold nights. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning seeds and insects from the ground, often hopping and walking across alpine m...
The Tibetan Snowfinch is endemic to the vast, arid, and semi-arid regions of the Tibetan Plateau, primarily within western and central China. Its core breeding and year-round range encompasses most of the Tibet Autonomous Region, extending north into southern Qinghai, west into parts of Ladakh (I...
Least Concern
- One of the highest-dwelling passerine birds globally, regularly found at elevations exceeding 4,500 meters (14,700 feet) and sometimes even above 5,500 meters (18,000 feet). - Its robust physiology allows it to thrive in the extreme cold, strong winds, and thin air of the Tibetan Plateau, an en...