Pallas's Rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus)

Pallas's Rosefinch is a small finch species native to eastern Asia. It is normally found as a breeding bird in central and eastern Russia into Mongolia. It was an unknown species in the Western Hemisphere until the summer of 2015. A single bird was found on St. Paul Island in the Pribolof Islands, in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska. They have also wandered on rare occasions to parts of Europe. However, they are often kept as cage birds in parts of Europe and Asia, and the origin of vagrants in Europe has not been confirmed to represent true wild vagrants.

Habitat

Found in boreal forests and boreal shrubland.

Diet

Feeds heavily on seeds, but will also take insects and small invertebrates during the summer breeding season.

Behavior

Typically forages on the ground, or low in vegetation.

Nesting

Little study has been done

Song

The typical call is a very thin, weak high whistle, monotonic and often repeated.

Migration

Some populations in Mongolia and far southern Russia may be semi-permanent residents. However, most birds that breed in Russia migrate for the winter. Overwintering birds are found in Japan, North Korea, South Korea, eastern China, and Kamchatka peninsula and neighboring extreme southeastern Russia.

Interactive eBird map

Click here to access an interactive eBird map of Pallas's Rosefinch sightings

Similar Species

Unique plumage characteristics of the male make it unlikely to be confused with another species if seen well. They are most closely related to the Common Rosefinch

Conservation Status

Pallas's Rosefinch are found across a broad geographic area, are common in parts of their range, and overall populations are thought to be stable. The IUCN considers Pallas's Rosefinch to be a species of "Least Concern".

Photo Information

Photo by Sergey Yellseev - Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License