Black Rosy Finch

Taxobox
name = Black Rosy Finch
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Fringillidae
genus = "Leucosticte"
species = "L. atrata"
binomial = "Leucosticte atrata"
binomial_authority = Ridgway, 1874The 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.

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

Further reading

Book

* Johnson, R. E. 2002. "Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata)". In "The Birds of North America", No. 678 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

Thesis

* French NR. Ph.D. (1955). "LIFE HISTORY AND BEHAVIOR OF THE BLACK ROSY FINCH". The University of Utah, United States -- Utah.

Articles

* Behle WH. (1973). "Further Notes on Rosy Finches Wintering in Utah". Wilson Bulletin. vol 85, no 3. p. 344-346.

* Bjorklund CF. (1991). "Black Rosy Finch Sighting on Big Muddy Cbc". Blue Jay. vol 49, no 3.

* Bull EL & Wales BC. (2001). "Effects of disturbance on birds of conservation concern in eastern Oregon and Washington". Northwest Sci. vol 75, p. 166-173.

* Hendricks P. (1978). "Notes on the Courtship Behavior of Brown-Capped Rosy Finches". Wilson Bulletin. vol 90, no 2. p. 285-287.

* Johnson RE. (1975). "New Breeding Localities for Leucosticte in the Contiguous Western USA". Auk. vol 92, no 3. p. 586-589.

* Johnson RE. (1977). "Seasonal Variation in the Genus Leucosticte in North America". Condor. vol 79, no 1. p. 76-86.