Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte tephrocotis

Nests higher than almost any North American bird, on alpine scree. Pink-frosted feathers from the roof of the continent.

Population: Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of ~200,000; described as large and believed stable across Alaska and western Canada/US, though remote nesting habitat makes trend monitoring difficult (population trend itself not well established)
Habitat: Alpine tundra and high mountain terrain — snowfields, rocky scree, and barren summits above treeline; descends to lower elevations, cliffs, and towns in winter
Fun fact: The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch may hold the record for the highest-altitude breeding bird in North America, nesting on rocky slopes near mountain summits such as Denali.
Range: Western North America: Alaska (including Aleutian and Pribilof Islands), western Canada, and the northwestern/mountain-west United States (Brooks Range, Rockies, Cascades, Sierra Nevada); winters at lower elevations within and just south of the breeding range
Diet: Mostly seeds year-round (weed and grass seeds, Russian thistle, mustard, sunflower seed at feeders); in summer also insects, especially cutworms and other invertebrates blown onto snowfields, which it gleans in flocks
Size: 0.175 m
Wingspan: 0.33 m
Lifespan: 6.5 years

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