In the rugged and inhospitable landscapes of the high-altitude Rocky Mountains, a resilient and captivating bird thrives—the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch. These small finches, known for their hardiness and beautiful plumage, inhabit some of the most remote and challenging environments on the continent.

The Brown-capped Rosy-Finch is one of three closely related species: the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis), the Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata), and the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte australis). Brown-capped Rosy-Finches can almost be considered an endemic bird for Colorado (meaning they would be exclusively found in Colorado), but a small population does live outside of Colorado's borders.

These finches are characterized by their rosy-pink plumage on their wings, breast, and belly, which contrasts with their brown crown and back. They have stout bills and feed primarily on seeds, especially during the harsh winter months when other food sources are scarce.

Brown-capped Rosy-Finches are usually seen along the edges of snow fields where they collect newly exposed seeds and insects.

Males sing, fluff their feathers, dance (by bobbing their heads and tails and spreading their wings), and offer females nesting materials to attract a mate. Females will also fluff their feathers and dance to show that they are interested. Males will then form a “floating territory” around the female protecting her until she lays eggs.
They nest as high as 14,200 feet – that’s higher than the summit of Pikes Peak! The male shows his girl several nest sites and she takes her pick. They build a cup-shaped nest and line them with anything they can scavenge, from grass to feathers and fur and scraps of cloth. To protect their nests from wind and falling rocks Brown-capped Rosy-Finches build their nests in any protection they can find, caves, mines, or abandoned buildings. They will lay 3-6 eggs. Because of the difficulty in observing these finches not much is known about the length of nesting. Both males and females incubate eggs and take care of chicks.

The oldest Brown-capped Rosy-Finch was almost 10 years old, banded and recaptured in Colorado.

Attracting Rosy Finches to Feeders:
Despite their elusive nature, Rosy-Finches can be attracted to backyard feeders, especially during the winter months when natural food sources are scarce. Mountain feeders often get large flocs of Rosy-Finches. Providing a variety of seeds such as black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, and millet in platform or hopper feeders can attract Rosy-Finches along with other wintering birds. Placing feeders in a sheltered location and offering fresh water can also help attract these high-altitude finches to your backyard. They are especially common at feeders after heavy snow in the higher elevations.

Conservation Efforts:
Brown-capped Rosy-Finches face threats from habitat loss, climate change, and disturbance from human activities. Loss of glaciers and snowfields appear to be the biggest concern for Rosy-Finches. Conservation efforts focused on protecting their high-altitude habitats, preserving alpine vegetation, and reducing human disturbances are crucial for ensuring the survival of these vulnerable bird species. Another challenge for conservation is the extreme difficulty of observing Rosy-Finches. During the summer months when they retreat to remote alpine areas to breed. Accessing these high-altitude habitats requires hiking or climbing in rugged terrain, often at elevations above 10,000 feet. Additionally, Rosy-Finches are elusive birds that blend into their rocky surroundings, making them difficult to spot even when they are present. Mist nets, which are generally used to catch birds for banding and observation, are not particularly effective in the habitats Rosy-Finches call home. This means that potter traps baited with seed are generally used – another bulky tool to haul up a mountain, making Rosy-Finch observation that much more difficult. Motus towers have begun to be used and are a promising tool for continued research on Rosy-Finches.

Differences Between the Species:
While all three species of Rosy-Finch share similar plumage patterns, they can be distinguished by subtle differences in coloration and habitat preferences. Brown-capped Rosy-Finches prefer lower elevations and can be found in more open habitats such as sagebrush plains and grasslands. Brown-capped Rosy-Finches have rich brown bodies, with rosy wings and rumps. They have a dark charcoal gray crown and tail. In breeding season they have black bills which change to yellow in the winter.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches are typically found at the highest elevations, often above treeline, and as you would guess have a distinct light gray crown, some also have gray cheeks. Black Rosy-Finches inhabit rocky slopes and alpine meadows at intermediate elevations. They are mostly black, with a gray crown and red wings and belly.