| Black Rosy-Finch | ||||||||||||||
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| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Leucosticte atrata |
The Black Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte atrata, is a medium-sized finch.
Adults are black on the head, back and breast with pink on the belly, rump and wings. There is a patch of grey at the back of the head. They have short black legs and a long forked tail.
Their breeding habitat is mountain areas above the tree-line in the western United States. They build a cup nest in a cavity on a cliff.
Most birds migrate short distances to lower elevations and further south.
These birds forage on the ground, may fly to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat seeds from weeds and grasses and insects. They often feed in small flocks, sometimes mixing with Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches.
At one time, the three North American Rosy-fincheses were considered to be one species.