White-browed Rosefinch     Carpodacus thura

Etymology:

• Carpodacus: Greek word karpos- fruit; dakos –biter  { Fruit eater/biter}
• Thura: named after Thura Nilsson (fl. 1850) daughter of Swedish zoologist Sven Nilsson

Distribution in India: Resident of Himalayas.

Description: Size of 17–18 cm; Weight of 24–36 g. It is a medium-sized, conical-billed, slender rosefinch with long and slightly notched tail.

The male of the nominate race has a deep pink or bright pinkish red forehead and supercilium, supercilium tapering and becoming whiter on side of nape, fine white or pale pink feather tips on upper edge of forehead and supercilium. The lowermost forehead, lores and cheek are deep crimson, broad eyestripe from eye to side of nape is dark brown. The upper forehead to side of nape and upperparts are brown, tinged grey, broadly streaked blackish.

The rump and uppertail-coverts are deep pink, longest coverts with dark brown centres. The tail is black, finely edged brown. The upperwing is dark brown or blackish brown, median coverts are tipped pale whitish pink, greater coverts are edged brown to warm brown and tipped pale whitish buff. The flight-feathers are edged pale or dull pink, tertials are more broadly fringed pale buffish.

The ear-coverts and side of neck to underparts are bright pink, finely streaked silvery white on rear ear-coverts, lower side of neck, chin and throat. The flanks are tinged brownish and often finely streaked darker, undertail-coverts are white

The iris is dark brown or black; bill is brown or brownish horn; legs are flesh-grey to dark brown

In worn plumage, white tips on face, chin and throat and pale tips on median and greater coverts are reduced or absent, and dark streaks on upperparts are duller or less distinct.

The female has lower forehead pale buffish brown, upper forehead to nape and upperparts are brown or olive-brown, broadly streaked blackish, rump is bright yellow with blackish feather centres, uppertail-coverts are duller, tail is black, feathers are broadly edged pale brown at base. The upperwing is blackish brown, finely edged paler brown and tipped pale buffish brown forming a double wingbar. The flight-feathers are finely edged paler brown, tertials are broadly edged pale buffish brown. It has a long, broad creamy buff to brownish supercilium becoming pale buff or whitish towards rear and tapering over rear ear-coverts. It has a broad dark brown or blackish eyestripe from eye to rear ear-coverts. The lores, cheek and ear-coverts are buffish white, spotted or heavily streaked blackish. The chin and throat to breast are rusty buff or gingery brown, heavily streaked blackish brown, streaks extending onto pale buff or whiter rest of underparts, lower flanks washed warm buff, undertail-coverts yellowish white, finely streaked darker, bare parts much as for male.

The juvenile is like female. The first-winter and first-summer males have rich buff or reddish-brown lower back and rump, tips of greater coverts pale brown, chin to breast is deeper warm rufous or orange-brown than adult female.

Habitat: It is found in breeding season in undergrowth along forest edges and in clearings, also treeless boulder-covered slopes and ridges mostly above treeline with creeping juniper and dwarf willow, alpine meadows, dwarf rhododendrons, bamboo, and birch , juniper and barberry scrub above treeline. It is found at 3800–4200 m in India. In non-breeding season it is found in similar habitat and open hillsides with scrub, mostly at lower levels, down to 2400–3800 m.

Food habits: It eats seeds, buds and shoots of alpine and subalpine herbs and shrubs, also some berries. It forages on the ground and in low bushes. It hops and walks on ground and perches in bushes and trees. It is usually tame and approachable. T is found in pairs and in small, loose flocks. In non-breeding season it is often in single-sex flocks of up to 15 or more individuals, comprising mostly males or immature males, and may associate with other finches.

Breeding habits: They breed from Jun to Aug. They are loosely colonial, territorial, with rather small territory size. The nest is a large shallow cup of grass, dry leaves, moss, plant stems, seedpods and animal hair, placed low down in juniper, dwarf willow or thorn bush. They have a clutch of 3–4 eggs.