Male
Credit: Sergey Yeliseev

North American field guide

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

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Identification

Field notes

15 cm (6") Strays to Aleutians and western Alaska, mostly in spring, from Eurasia.

Bill has a strongly curved culmen.

Male: Red head, breast and rump like a Purple Finch. No distinctive eyebrow stripe.

Female: sparrow-like; brownish and strongly streaked above and below - except on pale throat.

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Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Common Rosefinch (Male)

1 rule
Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1
What was the sex of the bird ?
Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?
Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northwestern Canada or United States
result:1040-common-rosefinch-male:1:1 Source: 1040 Common Rosefinch (Male), row 1

Common Rosefinch (Female)

1 rule
Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 1
What was the sex of the bird ?
Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Blue · Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?
Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northwestern Canada or United States
result:1041-common-rosefinch-female:1:1 Source: 1041 Common Rosefinch (Female), row 1