Finches · Perching birds
Long-tailed Rosefinch
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Carpodacus sibiricus
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How to recognize it
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16–19 cm, larger than a sparrow because of the long tail
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Male: pink head, rump and belly
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Black-and-white wings and tail, white flecks on throat and breast
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Female and young: grey with sparse black streaks, buff or pink rump
About the species
Long-tailed Rosefinch often moves in small flocks, especially outside the breeding season. Its short bill picks up tiny seeds from the ground or from grass, and it also takes some insects.
It stays low in shrubs, along riverbanks, marsh edges, railways, and roadsides. During breeding time it settles down in one place, but at other seasons it can wander in loose groups of 5 to 10, often mixing with siskins and sparrows.
It lives across much of Asia and in Japan, and in Russia it ranges from southern Siberia eastward. It nests late, starting in mid-May, and usually raises one brood of 3 to 6 young.
Where to find
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Along canal banks and river edges with low shrubs, where Long-tailed Rosefinch moves in small flocks and picks seeds from the ground.
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On reed-fringed pond margins and marshy patches — look for short flights between bushes and clumps of old grass.
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Beside rail lines and roadside scrub, often feeding low and hopping along the verge.
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On weedy vacant lots with wormwood and nettles — a small flock may burst up from the grass and drop back into the shrubs.
