Common Rosefinches are small finches. Their
plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are different.
Male
Common Rosefinches have a dark crimson/grey head, a scarlet
chin/throat patch and an otherwise pale pinkish-grey front
and sides. The wings are dark-grey with pink edge-lining,
while the rump is bright-red. Vent and undertail coverts are
light-grey, while the uppertail is dark-grey.
Females
are much more inconspicuous than males, with highly
crypticplumage.
They are almost entirely olive-grey with slightly darker
grey streaking, except the belly, which is a lighter shade
of grey. Wings and tail are dark-grey with olive-grey edge
lining.
Both sexes have a short, stout, rounded grey bill, dark irises
and grey legs and feet.
First-winter males
and juveniles
resemble
females,
but with a slightly richer olive tint.
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Common Rosefinch is available
HERE
.
Common Rosefinches are a migratory species.
There are 5 races which, taken altogether, have a wide-ranging
distribution, from the coastline of Iceland in the West to the
East Siberian Pacific coastline in the East.
During the breeding season the Asian population is found at
mid to high latitudes (25 to 68 degrees N), while in winter
the entire Eurasian populations migrates to the South, into
northern Iran, Pakistan, much of the Indian subcontinent,
south-eastern Asia as far to the East as eastern China (and
as far South as the latitude of southern Thailand), but also
on the northern side of the Himalayas. There are also small
wintering populations in Korea and Japan.
In Europe only Common Rosefinches of the nominate race
"erythrinus" are found.
They are summer breeding migrants from the South-east. Their
breeding range, which includes the lower Danube valley and
a few selected locations in Greece and the Balkans, extends
westwards as far as the upper Danube valley, the Elbe river
and all around the Baltic Sea, to about the Arctic circle as
the northern boundary. They can be present anywhere to the
East of the western limit described above.
While during the breeding season Common Rosefinches prefer
thickets, woodland and the edges of forest, they are usually
found in wetlands, or at least near reliable water (including
gardens and orchards), in winter.
Sightings
Click here for sighting information
Race "erythrinus"
S. Cuturilov reports spotting a Common Rosefinch, race
"erythrinus", on the Pester plateau, south-western
Serbia, in June 2017.
D. Wilczynska reports finding a Common Rosefinch, race
"erythrinus", at Biebrza NP, Poland, in May 2018.
Photos
Race "erythrinus"
ADULT
MALE
Distant frontal view of a male Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Pester plateau, Serbia, June 2017]
Lateral view of a male Common Rosefinch looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza NP, Poland, May 2018]
Lateral view of a male Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza NP, Poland, May 2018]
Lateral view of a male Common Rosefinch; this is the bird whose
calls were
recorded on 19 May 2018
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza NP, Poland, May 2018]
Lateral view of a male Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
Near-dorsal view of a male Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
FEMALE
Frontal view of a female Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
Lateral view of a female Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
Near-dorsal view of a female Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
Near-dorsal view of a female Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
Dorsal view of a female Common Rosefinch
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
More Common Rosefinch sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.