Gray-crowned Rosy Finch

Leucosticte tephrocotis

Also known as:Rosy-Finch, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

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Identification

Field notes

16 cm (6") Fairly common. Western North America. High mountains above treeline, rocky terrain, snowfields. In winter; spread to lower country, plains, towns, at feeders. Very tame and approachable.

Brown on the back and breast and mainly pink on the rest of the underparts and the wings. The forehead and throat are black; the back of the head is grey. Short black legs and a long forked tail. There is some variability in the amount of grey on the head.

Song: high chirping notes similar to House Sparrow.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Gray-crowned Rosy-finch

Credit: Woodfibrebirder

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 6 rules

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

Rosy Finch (Male)

4 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · 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 BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · 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 · Black, purple, or dark · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1032-rosy-finch-male:1:1 Source: 1032 Rosy Finch (Male), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · 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 BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · 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 · Black, purple, or dark · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Summer · Fall · Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1032-rosy-finch-male:2:1 Source: 1032 Rosy Finch (Male), row 2

Rule 3 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · 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 BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · 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 · Black, purple, or dark · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Summer · Fall · Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:1032-rosy-finch-male:3:1 Source: 1032 Rosy Finch (Male), row 3

Rule 4 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · 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 BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · 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 · Black, purple, or dark · 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)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:1032-rosy-finch-male:4:1 Source: 1032 Rosy Finch (Male), row 4

Rosy Finch (Female or Immature)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · 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 BELLY ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: 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 · 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 · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1033-rosy-finch-female-or-immature:1:1 Source: 1033 Rosy Finch (Female or Immature), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · 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 BELLY ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: 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 · 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 · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:1033-rosy-finch-female-or-immature:2:1 Source: 1033 Rosy Finch (Female or Immature), row 2