Leucosticte atrata
On mountain peaks rising up from the Great Basin, the Black Rosy-Finch strikes beauty into the delicate system of the high country. Like the fragile alpine flower it nests beside, this bird flashes its beauty in quick yearly pulses, hoping to successfully breed in this area of limited opportunity. During summer, rosy-finches develop cheek pouches so they can carry larger amounts of insects to their rapidly developing young. The rosy-finch 'Grand-Slam' could be a goal of Rocky Mountain naturalists, perhaps not just for checklist gratification, but as an avenue to explore all reaches of our mountainous region. The scientific name atrata is Latin for 'clothed in black,' a obvious allusion to the male's handsome plumage. |
I.D.: Male: black forehead, cheek, breast and back; gray crown; rosy shoulder (hard to see), belly, flanks and rump; black bill and legs; dark tail and flight feathers. Female: similar but paler. Size: L 51/2-61/2 in. (14-17 cm). Range: uncommon year-round resident in the greater Yellowstone area and in northern Utah; rare winter visitor in the southern U.S. Rockies. Habitat: Summer: typically in alpine tundra. Winter: open areas and mountain meadows down to the montane. Nesting: among rocks or in a crevice; bulky nest is made of moss, grass, fur and feathers; female incubates 4-5 eggs for 12-14 days. Feeding: hops on the ground or snow, gleaning small seeds; occasionally visits feeding stations. Voice: calls are single notes or a tripled pert-pert-chew. Similar Species: Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch: brown breast, cheek and back. Brown-capped Rosy-Finch: brownish crown; brown breast, cheek and back. |
