Vinaceous Rosefinch
Carpodacus vinaceus
酒红朱雀
Introduction
A member of the family Fringillidae, this species inhabits mountainous regions of Nepal, China, and northern Myanmar. It occupies temperate forests and subtropical or tropical dry forests. The bird is closely related to the Taiwan rosefinch, which is often considered a subspecies.
Description
This medium-sized finch exhibits marked sexual dimorphism. Males display a striking dark crimson plumage across much of their body, complemented by brownish-black tail and wings. Females present a more subdued appearance, featuring olive-brown coloration with distinctive black spots throughout their plumage.
Distribution & Habitat
The species ranges across Nepal, China, and far northern Myanmar. It occupies temperate forest environments as well as subtropical and tropical dry forests. Its distribution is primarily centered in mountainous regions within these countries.
Behavior & Ecology
The diet consists primarily of small worms and seeds. Interestingly, this species has been observed foraging through trash piles in search of food, which has earned it the local nickname 'Garbage Bird'.
Culture
The local nickname 'Garbage Bird' reflects the bird's unusual foraging behavior of searching through human refuse for sustenance.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Genus
- Carpodacus
- eBird Code
- vinros2
Distribution
western China (southern Gansu and northern Shaanxi to Sichuan); winters to Myanmar
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.