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Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch

leucosticte tephrocotis

The Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch is a rugged and charismatic songbird built for survival in some of North America's most extreme environments. Living high above the timberline in alpine tundra, talus slopes, and windswept glaciers, this resilient member of the finch family is a true mountaineer. Known for its remarkable tolerance to freezing temperatures, it can often be seen hopping actively across snowfields in search of wind-blown insects and seeds. During the winter, harsh alpine weather drives these hardy birds down to lower elevations, bringing their vibrant presence to mountain valleys and backyard bird feeders. Their highly adaptive foraging strategies and specialized anatomical features allow them to thrive where few other birds dare to nest.

Lebensraum: Typically found in high-altitude alpine tundra, rocky talus slopes, and glaciers above the treeline during the summer, migrating to lower montane valleys in winter.

Aussehen

This medium-sized finch features a warm, dark brown body contrasted beautifully with brilliant rosy-pink washes on its wings, rump, and belly. A distinctive ash-gray patch crowns the back of its head and cheeks, while its forehead is marked by a stark black patch. Its bill undergoes a striking seasonal transformation, changing from a sharp, dark black during the breeding season to a bright yellow during the winter months. They have long, pointed wings and a notched tail, which help them navigate the turbulent mountain winds.

ReichAnimaliaStammChordataKlasseAvesOrdnungPasseriformesFamilieFringillidaeGattungLeucosticte

Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch

Kategorie

Vögel

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

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Interessante Fakten

In severe winter weather, they can form massive nomadic flocks of several thousand birds as they descend into valleys in search of food.

Their specialized throat pouch allows parents to collect and transport dozens of insects at a time back to their hungry chicks.

They are among the highest-altitude nesting birds in all of North America, often building nests in rock crevices above the treeline.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Exhibits specialized foraging behavior by hopping along high-altitude snowfields to harvest frozen, wind-blown insects.

Possesses a unique throat pouch beneath the tongue used to store and carry large quantities of food back to nestlings.

Capable of surviving freezing temperatures and high-velocity winds due to dense, insulating plumage and behavioral roosting in rock cavities.

Maße und Details

Länge: 14+ cm
Flügelspannweite: 30+ cm
Gewicht: 0.022+ kg
Lebenserwartung: 3+ Jahre
Top Speed: 45 km/h
Gelegegröße: 3+
Brutzeit: 12+ Tage
Zugstrecke: 1500 km

Ernährung und Fütterung

Feeds primarily on wind-blown insects frozen in snowfields during the breeding season, switching to a diet of alpine plant seeds in winter.

Altersunterschiede: Chicks are fed almost exclusively insects and spiders from the parents' gular pouches, while adults transition to seeds and plant matter in the colder months.

Hauptnahrung

Alpine grass seeds
Midges
Beetles
Caterpillars
Sedge seeds

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Preys upon adult rosy-finches in open, high-altitude alpine landscapes.

eaten by

Ermine

Mustela erminea

Raids high-altitude rocky nests to consume unguarded eggs and nestlings.

mutualism

Mountain Avens

Dryas octopetala

Provides critical seed resources for the finch during early spring and summer foraging.

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Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

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Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

Der einfachste Weg, Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

14+ cm

Was ist der/die/das flügelspannweite von Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

30+ cm

Was ist der/die/das gewicht von Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

0.022+ kg

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

3+ Jahre

Was ist der/die/das top Speed von Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

45 km/h

Was frisst Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch?

Feeds primarily on wind-blown insects frozen in snowfields during the breeding season, switching to a diet of alpine plant seeds in winter.

Wo findet man Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch normalerweise?

Typically found in high-altitude alpine tundra, rocky talus slopes, and glaciers above the treeline during the summer, migrating to lower montane valleys in winter.