Blanford's rosefinch or the crimson rosefinch, is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. Its natural habitat is boreal forest.
Region
Himalayas and southwestern China
Typical Environment
Occurs from Nepal and Bhutan through northeastern India into southern and central China, including parts of Tibet and Yunnan-Sichuan. Prefers temperate to subalpine coniferous and mixed forests with dense undergrowth, especially rhododendron and bamboo thickets. Often uses forest edges, clearings, and shrubby slopes near alpine meadows. In winter it may descend to lower montane valleys and secondary growth. It is typically patchy but locally common where suitable cover and seeding shrubs are abundant.
Altitude Range
2400–4500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named after the British naturalist William Thomas Blanford, this high-elevation finch was formerly placed in Carpodacus but is now often treated in the genus Agraphospiza. Males show striking crimson tones in the breeding season, while females are more cryptic and streaked. It undertakes local altitudinal movements, descending from subalpine forests in winter.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating finch-like flight
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs during the breeding season and in small flocks or loose associations outside it. Nests are cup-shaped and placed in dense shrubs or low conifers. Clutches are small, and both parents may attend the young. Flocking with other finches and seedeaters can occur in winter.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A sweet, warbling series of trills and twitters delivered from a perch within shrubs or conifers. Calls include sharp cheeps and soft buzzes used for flock contact.
Plumage
Male with rich crimson to rose-red on head, breast, and rump, with darker brownish wings and tail; upperparts may show faint streaking. Female is brown to olive-brown with heavy streaking on the underparts and paler, buffy tones on the face and flanks. Both sexes have a stout, conical finch bill and relatively plain wings.
Diet
Feeds primarily on seeds of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, including rhododendron and other montane plants. Also takes buds, shoots, and small berries when available. During the breeding season it supplements its diet with small insects and other invertebrates.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense shrub layers, forest edges, and clearings within coniferous and mixed montane forests. Often feeds low to the ground or within bushy cover, occasionally moving into adjacent alpine meadows.
