Leucosticte australis
Where only the most resilient mountaineers dare go in the peaks of Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, you will find the breeding grounds of the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch. Where ice and boulders are permanent landmarks, these small alpine denizens find sufficient food to raise a small brood. When the bite of fall weather becomes too much for even these finches, they retire down-slope to more hospitable areas-but still at higher elevations than almost all other birds! The scientific name australis is Latin for 'southern'; this is the most southern resident in our guild of rosy-finches. |
I.D.: Male: black forehead; brownish crown; brown breast, cheek and back; rosy shoulder, belly, flanks and rump; dark bill and legs; dark tail and flight feathers. Female: duller than the male; sometimes lacks the rosy plumage altogether. Size: L 51/2-61/2 in. (14-17 cm). Range: locally common summer breeder and irregular winter resident in the southern U.S. Rockies. Habitat: Summer: around cliffs and rocky areas in the alpine. Winter: open areas, towns and roadsides up to the subalpine. Nesting: on the ground, 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: call is a harsh, 3-note peyt-a-weet; flight song is long and warbling. Similar Species: Black Rosy-Finch: gray crown; black breast and face. Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch: gray crown. |
