Pallas's Rosefinch Carpodacus roseus Scientific name definitions

16–17·5 cm; 21–35 g. Medium-sized to large, slender rosefinch with long, notched tail. Male nominate race has head and face to upper nape deep pink or pinkish-red, broadly (almost entirely) tipped silvery white on forehead to crown and brighter or deeper red on lores to eye; lower nape and upper mantle grey, streaked darker, rest of upperparts rich rosy pink, boldly streaked dark grey and feathers edged brown, lower back to rump and uppertail-coverts rich deep pink, centres of tail-coverts streaked dark or blackish; tail blackish-brown, outer feathers broadly edged pale pink; upperwing dark brown, coverts edged pale pink, medians broadly tipped white and greaters more narrowly tipped pale pinkish or buffish-white (forming double wingbar), flight-feathers finely edged pale buff or pale pink, outer edges of primaries rich brown, tertials broadly edged pale buff-brown; cheek and ear-coverts to side of throat deep pink, finely tipped silvery white (in fresh plumage), rest of throat and breast deep reddish-pink (sometimes with blackish tips), lower breast, belly and flanks white or pale pink, flanks sometimes tipped greyer, undertail-coverts whitish with pink wash; iris black; bill brown above, pale yellow or greyish-horn below; legs reddish-brown. Female has head and face pale brown, forehead to crown tinged bright tawny or light orange, streaked darker on crown and nape, plain face (cheek may be tinged as forehead) finely streaked on ear-coverts, slightly paler and fairly indistinct supercilium; upperparts like crown, but more heavily or broadly streaked blackish, lower back to rump pinkish or orange-red, finely streaked brown, uppertail-coverts browner, tail dark brown, edged paler or tinged pink; upperwing dark brown, coverts edged paler buff-brown and tipped pale buff or whitish, secondaries edged paler brown and tertials more broadly so; chin and throat pale peach-buff or pinkish, side of throat (to moustachial area) to breast warm buffish or light orange-buff, narrowly streaked dark brown, rest of underparts pale buff, streaked darker; bill dark brown or blackish in winter. Juvenile is like female but duller, lacks brighter buff tones on head and face, upperpart feathers edged paler grey, rump pale or whitish-buff; first-winter male has orange-brown of head and breast often concealed by broad buff-brown tips, grey mantle feathers edged or tinged pinkish, lower back and rump variably whitish-pink to pale orange, tips of wing-coverts and edges of tertials pale buff; first-summer male similar to adult female, but more prominently pink or orange-pink on forehead to crown, rump and face to breast, acquires full adult plumage Aug–Oct of second winter (some individuals not in full breeding plumage until later into second summer); first-winter female like adult, but generally brown or dull brown and more heavily streaked above and below, tinged orange on forehead, breast and rump. Race portenkoi has crown, rump and underparts darker crimson, mantle and back streaked blackish with grey feather edges, and flight-feathers finely edged whitish to pale brown, subadult male and female greyer above and deeper red or purple-red than nominate.

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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 in lowland and montane taiga with Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica), larch (Larix) and birch (Betula), also fir (Abies) and spruce (Picea) forests and alpine meadows, shrubby thickets and undergrowth of sparsely vegetated hillsides; in Altai favours areas of Siberian dwarf pines (Pinus pumila), and in Sayan Mts found in upper levels of Siberian pine forests; to 3030 m. In non-breeding season occurs in similar habitat in lowland areas between 1500 m and 2500 m, including open deciduous woods and thickets with bushy undergrowth, dwarf pine and aspens (Populus) along river valleys, often at edges of cultivation, occasionally in parks and gardens.

Migratory and partly nomadic; in C Siberia degree of movement determined by annual variations in cone crop of Siberian pine. Some thought to be resident on Sakhalin I. Otherwise, those breeding in N & C parts of range move S during late Sept–Nov to wintering grounds in Ussuriland, E Mongolia, NE China and Korea; small numbers move W & SW to W Siberia, occasionally to W of Urals; those in NE Kazakhstan (small numbers breed W Altai) move short distance S to S Altai (possibly only in years of heaviest snowfall) between Dec and mid-Mar; irregular in winter Korea, sometimes more numerous on passage, most records Jan–Feb (also regular in small numbers mid-summer). Return movements N in late Mar and Apr, passage along middle R Yenisey from early Apr, mostly flocks of 20–30 birds. Uncommon or scarce on passage (both spring and autumn) at Beidahe, on Gulf of Bohai (E China); scarce or irregular in Japan, mainly Hokkaido and also N & C Honshu, from early Nov to mid-Apr, with some passage in mid-Oct and mid-Apr to mid-May. Accidental or rare S Japan and islands in East China Sea. Vagrant in European Russia, S Ukraine and S Kazakhstan. Occurrences in Hong Kong, and in W Europe (Denmark, Netherlands, British Is, Switzerland) considered to originate from captivity.

Mostly a variety of seeds, also buds, shoots and occasionally berries, including those of Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila), crowberry (Empetrum), bilberry (Vaccinium), rowan (Sorbus), berries and buds of honeysuckle (Lonicera), buds of lilac (Syringa), also seeds of sedges (Carex), grasses (Gramineae), knotgrass (Polygonum), elecampane (Inula) and spurflower (Plectranus); in C Siberia feeds on seeds of Siberian pine and larch. Also invertebrates, mainly in summer, including caterpillars (Lepidoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Diptera), ants (Formicidae), aphids (Aphidoidea), grasshoppers (Orthoptera) and spiders (Araneae). Nestlings fed with insects, from third day also milky substance of crushed seeds. Forages on the ground, in bushes and in trees; picks seeds from fallen cones. In pairs and small flocks; on passage and in non-breeding season found in larger flocks of up to 100 individuals, and in mixed-species flocks with Fringilla montifringilla, sparrows (Passer) and buntings (Emberizidae).

Call a short "fee", or soft "tsiiin" or "chiiin", also a subdued single or double whistle, "chee-chee", and a fairly loud metallic "tsuiii" and an emberizid-like "dzih" and "chek-chek". Song, usually in display-flight or from within canopy of tree, similar to call, but includes rising and falling notes and repeated phrases, fairly soft and usually audible for only short distance.

Season May–Aug; possibly two broods. Monogamous. Ooccasionally loosely colonial. Territorial. Male performs song flight, with slowly fluttering wings and spread tail, over trees and bushes. Nest a large, deep cup of twigs, grass, plant fibres and roots, lichens, animal hair and feathers, usually 1–6 m from ground and well hidden in dense part of conifer, usually larch and close to or against trunk, occasionally up to 2·5 m out on branch. Clutch 4–5 eggs, light blue to blue with reddish-grey to black spots and lines, some entirely without spots; incubation by female fed on nest by male, period 14–15 days; chicks fed and cared for by both parents, nestling period c. 15 days. On Sakhalin I, nests often preyed on by Carrion Crow (Corvus corone).

Not globally threatened. Scarce to locally common. Scarce at S extremities of range, e.g. only few pairs breeding in Kazakhstan; probably breeds in N Korea, where regular in mid-summer, but breeding as yet unproven. Breeding densities of 20 individuals/km² in taiga of C Siberia, and 2–3 pairs along 1 km of larch taiga in N Sakhalin.