Mountain finches
Grey-crowned rosy finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Subfamily: Carduelinae
Genus: Leucosticte
Swainson, 1832
Type species
Linaria tephrocotis[1]
Swainson, 1832
Species

See text.

The mountain finches are birds in the genus Leucosticte from the true finch family, Fringillidae. This genus also includes the rosy finches, named from their pinkish plumage.

The genus is a sister to the monotypic Procarduelis containing the Asian dark-breasted rosefinch.[2] These birds are native to Asia and North America and are typically found in barren mountainous regions. Many species eat more insect material than other finches.

There are six species in the genus:[3]

Image Scientific name Common Name Distribution
Leucosticte nemoricola Plain mountain finch Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Tibet, and Turkmenistan.
Leucosticte brandti Brandt's mountain finch Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan
Leucosticte arctoa Asian rosy finch Mongolia and North Asia; it winters in Manchuria, Korea, Sakhalin and Japan
Leucosticte tephrocotis Grey-crowned rosy finch Alaska, western Canada, and the north-western United States.
Leucosticte atrata Black rosy finch Interior west
Leucosticte australis Brown-capped rosy finch central Rocky Mountains of the United States


References

  1. ^ "Fringillidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  2. ^ Zuccon, Dario; Prŷs-Jones, Robert; Rasmussen, Pamela C.; Ericson, Per G.P. (2012). "The phylogenetic relationships and generic limits of finches (Fringillidae)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 62 (2): 581–596. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2011.10.002. PMID 22023825.
  3. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Finches, euphonias". World Bird List Version 5.4. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
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