Mountain finch
Encyclopedia
The mountain finches are bird
s in the genus Leucosticte from the true finch
family, Fringillidae. This genus also includes the rosy finches, named from their pinkish plumage. They are apparently closely related to the bullfinch
es (Marten & Johnson, 1986) and to the Pine Grosbeak
(Arnaiz-Villena et al., 2001), diverging from them not quite a dozen million years ago, at the end of the Middle Miocene
.
These birds are native to Asia
and North America
and are typically found in barren mountainous regions. Many species eat more insect material than other finches.
The full list of species is:
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in the genus Leucosticte from the true finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
family, Fringillidae. This genus also includes the rosy finches, named from their pinkish plumage. They are apparently closely related to the bullfinch
Bullfinch
* A Bullfinch is one of two groups of passerine birdsBullfinch can also refer to:* Bullfinch , an obstacle seen on the cross-country course in the sport of eventing* USS Bullfinch, the name of two US Navy ships...
es (Marten & Johnson, 1986) and to the Pine Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
left|thumb|Adult femaleThe Pine Grosbeak is a large member of the true finch family, Fringillidae. It is found in coniferous woods across Alaska, the western mountains of the United States, Canada, and in subarctic Fennoscandia and Siberia...
(Arnaiz-Villena et al., 2001), diverging from them not quite a dozen million years ago, at the end of the Middle Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
.
These birds are native to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and are typically found in barren mountainous regions. Many species eat more insect material than other finches.
The full list of species is:
- Plain Mountain FinchPlain Mountain FinchThe Plain Mountain-finch is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ...
, Leucosticte nemoricola - Black-headed Mountain FinchBlack-headed Mountain FinchThe Brandt's Mountain Finch or Black-Headed Mountain-Finch is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family....
, Leucosticte brandti - Tawny-headed Mountain Finch, Leucosticte sillemi
- Asian Rosy FinchAsian Rosy FinchThe Asian Rosy-Finch is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in China, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Russia.Its natural habitats are tundra and temperate grassland.-References:...
, Leucosticte arctoa - Gray-crowned Rosy FinchGray-crowned Rosy FinchThe Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, or Gray-crowned Rosy-finch, is a species of passerine bird in the family Fringillidae native to Alaska, western Canada, and the north-western United States. Due to its remote and rocky alpine habitat it is rarely seen. There are currently six recognized subspecies...
, Leucosticte tephrocotis - Black Rosy FinchBlack Rosy FinchThe Black Rosy Finch, or Black Rosy-finch, is a species of passerine bird in the family Fringillidae native to the western United States.-Taxonomy:...
, Leucosticte atrata - Brown-capped Rosy FinchBrown-capped Rosy FinchThe Brown-capped Rosy Finch , Leucosticte australis, is a medium-sized finch.Adults are brown on the head, back, and breast with pink on the belly, rump, and wings. The forehead is black. They have short black legs and a long forked tail.Their breeding habitat is mountain peaks in the central Rocky...
, Leucosticte australis