General

Common Rosefinch: Small, stocky finch with red upperparts and breast, faintly streaked brown back, and white underparts. Bill is dark gray and stout. Wings and tail are dark brown. Female is brown-streaked and gray overall.

Range and Habitat

Common Rosefinch: Occurs in the western Aleutians and Alaska. Preferred habitats include scrubby areas, especially near water and often near human habitation.

Breeding and Nesting

Common Rosefinch: Three to six light blue green eggs flecked with brown at larger end are laid in a nest made of grass and stems, lined with rootlets and hair, and built low in a bush or tree, less than 3 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Common Rosefinch: Eats seeds and insects in summer and mostly seeds in winter; forages on the ground or in shrubs and trees.

Readily Eats

Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit, Commercial Mixed Bird Seed

Vocalization

Common Rosefinch: Song is a flutelike "chEEro-VEEcheeo", with emphasis on second and fourth notes. Call is a gentle "djnee" or piping "twee-eek."

Similar Species

Common Rosefinch: Purple Finch has red over most of body and pale bill.