Black-headed Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti Scientific name definitions

16·5–19 cm; 26–34 g. Medium-sized to large, slender or robustly built pale grey to blackish finch with pointed bill, long wings and notched tail. Male nominate race breeding has head dark grey to grey, blackish on forecrown and foreface; lower nape and upperparts pale grey to grey-brown, streaked blackish-brown, lower back and rump pale pearl-grey with rosy-pink feather edges, rump tipped paler or grey, uppertail-coverts pale grey, tipped paler; tail blackish-brown, all outer feathers edged and tipped whitish or whitish-buff; lesser upperwing-coverts pale grey, tipped pale pink or white, median and greater coverts blackish, broadly edged pale or frosted grey; alula, primary coverts and flight-feathers blackish, finely edged and tipped pale grey (more uniform in summer, when worn), tertials broadly edged pale buffish-grey; throat and underparts dingy grey-brown, tinged buffish and paler on undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Non-breeding male has head to mantle and back buff-brown or tawny-brown, blackish tips on forehead and crown, broad pale buff edges of greater coverts, tertials and tips of flight-feathers; bill dark brown with yellow base in winter. Female is very like male, but has rump duller grey, with pink less extensive. Juvenile is paler, more sandy brown than adult on head and upperparts, has dark brown feather centres on mantle and back, with rump and uppertail-coverts fringed light orange-buff, wing and tail edged buffish-brown, light pink tinge on lesser coverts; first-winter like juvenile, but with blackish bases on lores and forehead to crown, pale yellowish-buff tips on nape to lower back, or brighter yellow on lower back and scapulars, pale ash-grey lesser and median upperwing-coverts edged golden-buff, tips of greater coverts creamy or pale buff-brown, throat whitish to pale buff, breast, belly and flanks grey-brown or buffish-brown, lower underparts pale buff, bill grey-brown with dark or blackish tip, pale yellow base of lower mandible. Race pamirensis is like nominate in extent of black on crown, has nape and mantle grey, heavier dark streaks on mantle and back, tips of rump feathers reddish or deep red, face grey or pale grey, but lores to below eye sometimes blackish, and breast to belly and flanks grey; pallidior has mantle and back as on nominate, but black crown and hindcrown and browner (or dark brown) upper nape, cheek and ear-coverts, lores blackish, lacks pink tips on plain grey lesser coverts, and chin and throat grey or pale buff; haematopygia male breeding has blackish-brown forehead to nape, mantle and scapulars, tips of rump more vinous, lesser coverts pale grey (lacking pink tips), face to lores and chin brownish-black and side of neck deep dull brown, female has less extensively blackish hood, paler throat and smaller rump patch; <em>margaritacea</em> is plainer grey than others, forehead and underparts paler, silvery grey, pink tips in wing feathers extend to edges of outer primaries.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Breeds on montane crags and cliffs, barren, treeless plateaux, boulderfields, stony alpine meadows and high-altitude valleys, and scree slopes, often in boggy areas or along edges of streams in summer, at 2100–6000 m; 2100–3500 m in Russian Altai, 3000–4050 m in E & SE Kazakhstan, 3650–4800 m in N Pakistan and to 5500 m in Ladakh, and down to c. 3000 m in W Himalayas (sometimes reaching 1500 m in Gilgit). n winter in similar habitat or around farmland and edges of cultivation at lower altitudes; down to c. 3600 m Sikkim, to 1500 m in Tuva (S Russia), and occasionally to 1200 m in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Resident and partial or altitudinal migrant. Those in higher-lying areas make post-breeding descent to lower-level foothills, although many remain at high elevations unless winter particularly severe; in non-breeding season also becomes nomadic, and wanders to lower valleys.

Mostly seeds and shoots of small alpine plants, including those of Artemisia, Corydalis, Sedum, Primula, alpine poppy (Papaver), Potentilla, sorrel (Rumex), groundsel (Senecio), chickweed (Stellaria) and campion (Silene), also some cereals, including barley taken from fallow fields; rarely, berries of juniper (Juniperus). Forages on the ground , and often along edge of snow-melt or from snowfields; takes floating seeds from edge of montane lakes, also readily perches on long grasses, bushes, boulders and walls. Gregarious throughout year, in summer in flocks of up to 60 individuals; in non-breeding season in larger numbers, up to 1000 (often of same sex) together, smaller groups occasionally foraging in association with L. nemoricola, L. arctoa and Carpodacus rubicilla, and sometimes associating loosely with Black-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla adamsi). In flight forms tight, swift, twisting and wheeling formations, like those of L. nemoricola.

Song a short and weak trill, given during short breeding season. Call a loud "twitt-twitt", "twee-ti-ti" or "peek-peek", often given in flight and by members of flock; flight calls mostly "twee-t-ti" or a disyllabic "peek-peek", occasionally as a dry "chirrup"; alarm call a harsh "churr" or a series of short dry chirps.

Season Jun–Aug. Colonial, loosely colonial or solitary; in Kazakhstan, three nests 80–200 m apart in cliff. Male defends nest and partner, but not territory. Male lands close to female and displays with head raised and bill pointing skywards, wings partially spread, drooped and quivered, and tail partially raised and spread, while giving rapid weak trill. Nest a loose or rough cup of grass, moss, leaves, animal hair and feathers, placed deep in hole, crevice, beneath rocks or loose stones or down rodent burrow. Clutch 3–5 eggs, plain white; incubation by female, fed on nest by male, period c. 13 days; chicks fed and cared for by both parents, nestling period 15–17 days.

Not globally threatened. Common in most of range; scarce in N Pakistan, locally common or rare in Altai, and rare in Tuva. Locally abundant in non-breeding season. In Russian Altai, 5–6 pairs found breeding in 2 km².