Black Rosy-Finch Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBlack Rosy-Finch
Nonbreeding adult
Medium-sized finch of alpine areas. Blackish brown overall with a gray crown and pink highlights on the wings and lower belly. The bill is yellow during the nonbreeding season and black during the breeding season.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, December 14, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Medium-sized finch of alpine areas. Blackish brown overall with a gray crown and pink highlights on the wings and lower belly. The bill is yellow during the nonbreeding season and black during the breeding season.
© Eric Hynes / Macaulay LibraryColorado, February 12, 2017Breeding adult
Forage for seeds and insects along the margins of melting snow or in areas blown free of snow.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, June 01, 2001Breeding adult
Breeding birds are darker black overall with a small gray crown, pink highlights on the wings and lower belly, and a dark bill.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryUtah, July 22, 2014Nonbreeding adult/immature
Medium-sized finch with a conical seed-eating bill. Nonbreeding birds are grayish overall, some with little or no pink highlights on the wings or lower belly.
© Anonymous / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, December 05, 2018Breeding adult
Walks and hops along the ground while foraging for seeds and insects.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, June 01, 2001Juvenile
Juveniles are brownish overall with buffy wingbars.
© Jacob Drucker / Macaulay LibraryNevada, August 07, 2016Nonbreeding adult/immature
Chunky finch with a conical bill. Nonbreeding birds are blackish below with a gray crown, blackish cheeks, and a yellow bill. The amount of pink on the lower belly varies among individuals.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, February 20, 2015Breeding adult
Breeds in alpine areas above treeline, usually near rock piles and cliffs.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, June 01, 2001Nonbreeding adult
This nonbreeding adult has extensive pink on the belly unlike some others that show much less pink. Note blackish brown back, chest and cheeks that contrast with the gray crown.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, February 20, 2015Nonbreeding adult (with Brown-capped Rosy-Finch)
Forms flocks during the winter, sometimes with other rosy-finches. Note that it is much darker overall than Brown-capped Rosy-Finches.
© Taylor Long / Macaulay LibraryColorado, January 07, 2017Breeding adult
Breeds in alpine areas, usually near rock piles, and cliffs. Winters in open country, including mountain meadows, high deserts, valleys, and plains.
© Heidi Ware Carlisle / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, June 14, 2016Similar SpeciesBrown-capped Rosy-Finch
Nonbreeding adult
Brown-capped Rosy-Finches are browner overall and don't have the Black-capped Rosy-Finch's gray crown.
© Jacob Drucker / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, December 20, 2016Similar SpeciesBrown-capped Rosy-Finch
Breeding adult
Breeding Brown-capped Rosy-Finches have a brown chest and back, whereas breeding Black Rosy Finches have a blackish chest and back.
© Ashley Wahlberg (Tubbs) / Macaulay LibraryColorado, March 06, 2015Similar SpeciesBrown-capped Rosy-Finch
Juvenile
Juvenile Brown-capped Rosy-Finches are brown overall and lack the juvenile Black Rosy-Finch's buffy wingbars.
© Al Zerbe / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, August 15, 2016Similar SpeciesGray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Adult (Hepburn's)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches along the coast have gray cheeks unlike Black Rosy-Finches, which have blackish cheeks.
© Joshua Covill / Macaulay LibraryMontana, January 08, 2017Similar SpeciesGray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Adult (Gray-crowned)
Gray-crowned Rosy Finches in the interior have a larger gray crown patch and are browner overall than Black Rosy-Finches.
© Taylor Abbott / Macaulay LibraryUtah, January 01, 2015Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Fringillidae)
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