Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Brown-capped Rosy Finch (Leucosticte australis), recorded as Endangered
Brown-capped Rosy Finch (Leucosticte australis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Brown-capped Rosy Finch

Leucosticte australis

The brown-capped rosy finch is a medium-sized finch endemic to North America in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Leucosticte australis
Taxonomy
Aves · Passeriformes · Fringillidae · Leucosticte

Appearance

The brown-capped rosy finch is a medium-sized finch endemic to North America in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are brown on the head, back, and breast. The forehead is black or grayish brown.

At one time, the three North American rosy finches were considered to be one species.

Range and habitat

Their breeding habitat is mountain peaks in the central Rocky Mountains of the United States. Despite fears that the population of this bird is declining, an analysis published in 2023 found a healthy population with more than three times the birds estimated in a 2016 report.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Breeding

In winter, these birds migrate short distances to lower elevations. After breeding, the female takes three days to finish the nest.

In crisis

Brown-capped Rosy Finch is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Brown-capped Rosy Finch, Wikidata item Q939678. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Black Rosy Finch (Leucosticte atrata), recorded as EndangeredEN

Black Rosy Finch

Leucosticte atrata
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Quick answers

What is Brown-capped Rosy Finch?
The brown-capped rosy finch is a medium-sized finch endemic to North America in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.
What is the conservation status of Brown-capped Rosy Finch?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Leucosticte australis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Brown-capped Rosy Finch live?
The brown-capped rosy finch is a medium-sized finch endemic to North America in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.
Why is Brown-capped Rosy Finch in crisis?
Despite fears that the population of this bird is declining, an analysis published in 2023 found a healthy population with more than three times the birds estimated in a 2016 report.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Leucosticte australis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Brown-capped Rosy Finch a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.