Meet Rσsefinches, The Little Birds That Have A Gσrgeσus Plumage And Melσdiσus Vσice

These gorgeous pink birds are mostly found in Eurasia and the Americas with over 20 different species. Looking at different species of birds is such a great pastime that it has even spawned many career fields and hobbies. Today, we are talking about the gorgeous Rosefinch which truly blossoms like a pink lotus or rose. You can easily recognize them due to its red and pink plumage. They arise from the passerine birds of the finch family Fringillida. Their melody is sweet and pleasing to the ears and is said to have a three-note whistling tune.

Now there are two different genera of these birds – Carpodacus and Haemorhous and we’re gonna find out more about both of them. Carpodacus is mostly found in Europe and Asia, while its counterpart Haemorhous is found in the North American continent. There are three different species of birds that are found in the Haemorhous genus namely the Cassin finch found in western North America, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California; the House finch can be spotted from Oaxaca, Mexico to southern Canada and the third is the Purple finch, native to Canada and the northeastern US.

Common rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) is the most widespread and common rosefinch of Asia and Europe. The common rosefinch is larger than a sparrow. It has a stout and conical bill. The mature male has brilliant rosy-carmine head, breast and rump; heavy bill; dark brown wings with two indistinct bars, and a white belly. Females and young males are dull-colored with yellowish-brown above, brighter on the rump and greyer on head; buff below.

It has spread westward through Europe in recent decades, even breeding in England once. Common rosefinches breed from the Danube valley, Sweden, and Siberia to the Bering Sea; the Caucasus, northern Iran and Afghanistan, the western Himalayas, Tibet and China; to Japan between latitudes 25° and 68°. In winter they are found from southern Iran to south-east China India, Burma, and Indochina.

They are found in summer in thickets, woodland and forest edges near rivers and in winter in gardens and orchards, wetlands and locally in dry oak woods. The nest is placed low in a bush. The eggs are dark blue with coarse dark brown spots, and a typical clutch contains five eggs. Because this species and the scarlet finch form a phylogenetic group, it has been removed from the genus Carpodacus in some recent taxonomies.

Now there are two different genera of these birds – Carpodacus and Haemorhous and we’re gonna find out more about both of them. Carpodacus is mostly found in Europe and Asia, while its counterpart Haemorhous is found in the North American continent. There are three different species of birds that are found in the Haemorhous genus namely the Cassin finch found in western North America, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California; the House finch can be spotted from Oaxaca, Mexico to southern Canada and the third is the Purple finch, native to Canada and the northeastern US.

Meanwhile, the genus Carpodacus on the other hand has a whopping 27 different species. These sparrow-sized birds are around 6 inches long (15 cm). There are some notable differences between the males and females as the former usually have varied hues of red and pink on them. According to Britannica, males are red on the head, breast, and rump while females are said to have streaked brown heads. In addition, “some have a single, or solid, coloration. Others have speckles, mottling, or patches of other colors. The different colorations that you can find on these birds include black, white, yellow, brown, red, gray, blue, and more,” according to the animal encyclopedia.

The Carpodacus rosefinches as mentioned previously are found throughout Eurasia and their greatest diversity is found in the Sino-Himalayan region. This led researchers to believe that the species has its origin in this area. These rosy pink delights love to feed on seeds and grains but other species have also been found to be omnivores, feeding on insects, invertebrates, and plants.