The Sinai rosefinch is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. The male has a pink face and breast with a whitish forehead and crown and the female is pale gray-brown overall with a whitish belly. It is found in the Sinai Peninsula and the Negev region of the Middle East, within the borders of Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. The pale rosefinch is sometimes considered a subspecies. It is the national bird of Jordan.
Region
Middle East
Typical Environment
Occurs in arid regions of the Sinai Peninsula, the Negev, southern Jordan (including Wadi Rum), and northwestern Saudi Arabia. It inhabits hot deserts with rocky slopes, barren hillsides, gravel plains, and sparsely vegetated wadis. The species is typically found near cliffs, boulder fields, and occasional acacia or tamarisk thickets. It is strongly tied to scarce water sources such as springs and oases, where it may congregate in small numbers. Its range is patchy, following suitable desert microhabitats.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Sinai rosefinch is the national bird of Jordan and is well adapted to extreme desert environments, often keeping close to rocky wadis and scarce water sources. Males show striking pink tones while females are sandy and cryptic, aiding camouflage. It sometimes associates with other desert finches at waterholes. The pale rosefinch has at times been treated as a subspecies, though most authorities now regard it as separate.
Temperament
wary but social around water sources
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with bounding phases
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it forms small flocks that gather at dawn and dusk to drink. Pairs nest in rock crevices, ledges, or dense shrubs, constructing cup nests from twigs and grasses. Both parents typically attend the young, and family groups may linger together after fledging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, tinkling series of twitters and trills, delivered from low perches or while perched on rocks. Calls include thin, metallic notes used to maintain contact within small groups.
Plumage
Male shows soft pink face, breast, and rump with a whitish forehead and crown, and sandy-brown upperparts lightly washed pink. Female is pale gray-brown to sandy with a whitish belly and fine streaking, overall much duller than the male. Both sexes have a stout, conical finch bill and relatively plain wings and tail.
Diet
Primarily eats seeds of desert grasses and shrubs, supplemented with buds, flowers, and soft plant material. During the breeding season it takes small insects and other invertebrates for added protein. It often forages on the ground, picking at scattered seeds and fallen plant material, and may visit cultivated plots at desert margins.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along rocky wadis, gravel flats, and sparse scrub where seeds accumulate. Frequently forages near springs and oases, and will travel to predictable water points.
