Black Rosy Finch
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| iBlack Rosy Finch | ||||||||||||||
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| Leucosticte atrata Ridgway, 1874 |
The Black Rosy Finch (or Black Rosy-finch), Leucosticte atrata, is a medium-sized finch.
Adults are black on the head, back and breast with pink on the belly, rump and wings. There is a patch of grey at the back of the head. They have short black legs and a long forked tail.
Their breeding habitat is mountain areas above the tree-line in the western United States. They build a cup nest in a cavity on a cliff.
Most birds migrate short distances to lower elevations and further south.
These birds forage on the ground, may fly to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat seeds from weeds and grasses and insects. They often feed in small flocks, sometimes mixing with Gray-crowned Rosy Finches.
At one time, the three North American Rosy finches were considered to be one species.
One of the best places to view all three North American species of Rosy-Finches is at the Crest House as they winter in the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque. Visit www.rosyfinch.com for details.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Leucosticte atrata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
