Pink-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus rodochroa Scientific name definitions

14–15 cm; 16–20 g. Medium-sized, slender rosefinch with prominent face pattern, pointed bill and notched tail. Male has forehead and long supercilium (tapering on side of nape) bright pink (with feather tips pearly or frosted pink in fresh plumage), lores and eyestripe broadly dark red, crown deep reddish-pink and sometimes with mauve tinge, finely streaked blackish, nape and side of neck paler and unstreaked; upper­parts reddish-brown, broadly edged bright or deep pink and streaked broadly blackish, upper mantle with paler, more grey-brown fringes; rump unstreaked bright pink, uppertail-coverts duller or browner, washed pink; tail dark brown, feathers finely edged pinkish-brown; upperwing dark brown, median coverts fringed pinkish, greater coverts edged and tipped pale pink, alula and flight-feathers edged paler or warm brown, tertial edges buff-brown with pink tinge; cheek and ear-coverts to throat and upper breast deep pink or pinkish-red, rear ear-coverts with fine paler pink or frosted white tips, slightly tinged mauve on breast, belly and flanks (upper flanks tinged buff-brown), lower belly to undertail-coverts white or pale pinkish; iris black; bill brownish-horn, paler brown edges of upper mandible and base of lower mandible, darker culmen and tip; legs pale brown to brownish-flesh. Female lacks pink in plumage; has forehead pale buffish, crown to upper nape darker greyish-buff, streaked dark brown or blackish, nape and upperparts pale buff-brown, streaked heavily blackish-brown, rump less heavily streaked; face pale buff or buff-brown, upper ear-coverts finely streaked darker, broader streaks on side of neck, thin pale yellow to buffish-yellow supercilium from over lores fading above ear-coverts; tail dark brown, edged paler buff-brown, upperwing-coverts edged warm buff-brown, tipped paler buff, primary coverts and flight-feathers finely edged buff or pale brown, slightly warmer on fringes of tertials; chin and throat pale buff, becoming warmer buffish-brown on breast and flanks, heavily streaked dark brown on lower throat, breast and flanks, paler belly to undertail-coverts with thinner streaks; bare parts much as for male. Juvenile is like female or tinged warmer buffish-brown in fresh plumage; first-summer like juvenile; second-winter male has reddish-brown upperparts, pale pink tips in supercilium, rump and underparts (last often paler), but retains heavy dark streaks on underparts.

NW & C Himalayas from N Pakistan and Kashmir E to S Tibet, Nepal, N India (Sikkim) and Bhutan.

Undergrowth of lower montane and submontane forests, including subalpine areas with sparse scattered trees, dwarf juniper (Juniperus), willows (Salix), rhododendron (Rhododendron) and open grassy slopes with bushes and scrub at edge of tree-line, also edges of mixed deciduous and fir (Abies) and birch (Betula) and oak (Quercus) forests; breeds usually at 2745–4540 m, exceptionally to 5150 m. In non-breeding season in similar habitat at lower levels, including around human settlements and village gardens; generally at 1200–2700 m, possibly higher, to 3000 m, in Nepal and Sikkim, and exceptionally as low as 910 m; in N Pakistan, down to c. 500 m in Margalla Hills and Murree Hills.

Resident and altitudinal migrant. Makes post-breeding descent to lower levels in range (some remaining at higher elevations), returning to higher levels in Mar; small breeding population in N Pakistan augmented by larger numbers of winter visitors, when occurs from early Jan to early Apr down to c. 500 m in Margalla and Murree Hills. Has wandered to extreme SW Tibet in June. Vagrant in Bhutan and possibly Arunachal Pradesh.

Diet includes seeds and berries of Cyathula, Viburnum and Ziziphus maurtiana, also grasses (Gramineae) and small herbs. Feeds quietly or unobtrusively on ground, frequently at edges of melting snow patches, under bushes and also at forest edges; hops or shuffles on ground. Fairly tame, but inconspicuous and easily overlooked, taking flight only as last resort. Forages in pairs and in small groups of up to eight individuals; in non-breeding season may form slightly larger loose flocks, often of single sex.

Song, from top of shrub or low tree, a series of loud, lilting and upwardly inflected whistles, "toowhi toowhi". Calls include loud "per-lee" or "chew-wee", and a rising, interrogative "sweet" similar to that of Serinus canaria.

Season Jul and Aug. Nest built by female, a compact cup of twigs, dry plant stems, fibres and grass, also birch-bark strips, moss and animal hair, placed up to 2 m above ground in bush, usually juniper, willow, thornbush or bramble (Rubus), sometimes on horizontal branch of pine (Pinus) sapling. Clutch 4–5 eggs, turquoise-blue, unspotted or finely spotted or lined with black or reddish-brown; incubation by female. No further information.

Not globally threatened. Common to locally common in most of range. Fairly common in Simla, uncommon in Kashmir; rare in N Pakistan, where discovered breeding in 1984; rare also in SW China; scarce in Nepal and Sikkim.