The Chinese long-tailed rosefinch is a species of finch of the family Fringillidae.
Region
Northern and central China
Typical Environment
Occupies shrubby river corridors, willow and birch thickets, forest margins, and overgrown fields. In winter it descends to lower elevations and may visit weedy edges, hedgerows, and reed-fringed wetlands. Breeding occurs in dense shrubs and young secondary growth, where cover is ample. It tolerates a mosaic of open scrub and scattered trees and is often near water. Fragmented but locally common where suitable thicket habitat persists.
Altitude Range
300–3000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Chinese long-tailed rosefinch is a small finch with an elongated, graduated tail and a distinctly rosy male plumage. It frequents brushy riverbanks, forest edges, and shrubby hillsides where it forages quietly in pairs or small groups. Like many rosefinches, it shifts to buds and shoots in spring and takes more seeds and berries in autumn and winter. Its sweet, tinkling song often carries from dense thickets where the bird itself can be hard to spot.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating motion
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs during the breeding season and in small loose groups at other times. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in dense shrubs. Likely monogamous, with both parents participating in feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A soft, sweet series of tinkling whistles and trills delivered from within cover or a low perch. Calls include thin, metallic chips and gentle twittering contact notes.
Plumage
Males show rich rosy to crimson tones on the head, breast, and rump with browner wings and a long, graduated tail; females are buffy-brown with fine streaking and a more subdued overall appearance. Both sexes have a short, conical finch bill suited to seeds.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small seeds of weeds and grasses, as well as buds, shoots, and berries. In the breeding season it takes some small invertebrates to provide protein for nestlings. It also nips at catkins and soft plant material in early spring. Foraging is mostly low in shrubs or on the ground among leaf litter and weeds.
Preferred Environment
Brushy riverbanks, thickets, hedgerows, and overgrown field margins with abundant seed-bearing plants. Often forages in riparian scrub and at the edges of secondary woodland.
