Blanford's Snowfinch
James Eaton · CC0_1_0 via GBIF
Blanford's Snowfinch
Pete Woodall · CC_BY_4_0 via GBIF
Blanford's Snowfinch
Pete Woodall · CC_BY_4_0 via GBIF
Blanford's Snowfinch
CC_BY_4_0 via GBIF

Blanford's Snowfinch

Pyrgilauda blanfordi

棕背雪雀

IUCN: Least Concern Found in China

Introduction

A passerine bird in the sparrow family (Passeridae). It is endemic to the high-altitude regions of central Asia, occurring in China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Its natural habitat consists of temperate grasslands at elevations between 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

Distribution & Habitat

Range extends across the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, including western China (particularly Tibet and Qinghai), northern India (states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim), Nepal, and northern Pakistan. Inhabits open temperate grasslands at high elevations, typically above the treeline, where it favors areas with scattered rocks and boulders.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

Order
Passeriformes
Family
Passeridae
Genus
Pyrgilauda
eBird Code
blasno1

Subspecies (3)

  • Pyrgilauda blanfordi barbata

    mountains of western China (northeastern Qinghai to Nan Shan Mountains)

  • Pyrgilauda blanfordi blanfordi

    breeds mountains of Tibet to Sikkim and western China; winters to India

  • Pyrgilauda blanfordi ventorum

    mountains of west-central China (southeastern Xinjiang to western Qinghai)

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.