Black Rosy-Finch

The Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata) is a legendary find among North American birders, famous for nesting in some of the most inhospitable, high-altitude alpine environments on the continent. This medium-sized finch breeds entirely above the timberline in rugged, glacier-carved basins and rocky cirques of the western United States. Highly adapted to freezing temperatures, they spend their summers foraging along the edges of retreating snowfields. In winter, harsh weather forces them downslope in energetic, swirling flocks, bringing them within reach of birders at lower-elevation feeders and rocky valleys.

Recognizing the Black Rosy-Finch is straightforward if you get a clear look, though light conditions on bright snow or in deep shadows can make identification challenging.

Key Field Marks

• Breeding Male: Almost entirely charcoal-black body, contrasting sharply with a bright gray band wrapping around the back of the head (occiput). The wings, rump, and belly sport a vibrant pink wash.
• Non-breeding Male: Similar to breeding plumage but slightly duller, with pale feather edges that give them a frosted appearance.
• Female: Significantly duller than the male, with dark grayish-brown to charcoal body plumage and a much reduced, pale pink wash on the wings and belly.
• Bill: Solid black during the summer breeding season, shifting to a bright straw-yellow with a dark tip in winter.

Similar Species

• Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis): Has a warm brown or cinnamon-brown back and breast rather than black, and the gray on the head extends further down the cheek on some subspecies.
• Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte australis): Lacks the prominent gray patch on the back of the head, and has a warmer brown back and breast.

The Black Rosy-Finch has one of the most restricted breeding ranges of any North American passerine.

Breeding Habitat

During the breeding season, they are restricted to alpine tundra, talus slopes, rocky crevices, cliffs, and active cirques above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) elevation. Their breeding range covers parts of Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Nevada.

Winter Habitat & Migration

With the arrival of heavy winter storms, they migrate downslope into high-elevation valleys, shrub-steppe deserts, and rocky road cuts. During this time, they occupy lower elevations across the Intermountain West and can sometimes be found visiting bird feeders offering sunflower or millet seeds in mountain towns.

Feeding

Black Rosy-Finches are ground foragers that exploit a phenomenon known as "aeolian drift." Winds carry insects up from lower elevations, freezing them on the high-alpine snowfields. The finches hop along the edges of the snow, picking up these dormant insects as well as seeds that have blown onto the snow or been exposed by melting.

Vocalizations

The most common call is a high-pitched, buzzy and metallic cheep or peew, often given in flight. These calls help keep flocks tightly cohesive as they sweep across windy mountain cliffs. The song, rarely heard away from breeding territories, is a series of simple, low-pitched notes.

Nesting

Nests are built in deep, inaccessible rock crevices, cliff faces, or under talus boulders to shield them from freezing temperatures and high winds. The cup-shaped nest is constructed of grass, moss, and rootlets, and is lined with animal hair and fine feathers.