Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte australis)
*Scan provided by artist, Mandy Bass.
Specimen collection provided by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
Listed as Threatened: 2018
Range: Endemic to the Rocky Mountains, the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch is found from southern Wyoming through Colorado to north-central New Mexico. It breeds in high-elevation areas above the treeline and migrates downhill and occasionally southward during the non-breeding season, depending on weather conditions.
Habitat: During the breeding season, the species inhabits tundra, snowfields, glacier edges, rocky slopes, cliffs, and other alpine areas between 3,350–4,330 meters. In winter, it moves to lower elevations, occupying grassy valleys, alpine slopes near the snowline, meadows, roadsides, fields, parklands, and even areas around cattle troughs and the edges of cities.
Human Impact: While the remoteness of its breeding grounds limits direct human disturbance, the Brown-capped Rosy-Finch is highly vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures may shift montane forests upslope, reducing available tundra habitat. Its sensitivity to weather-driven altitudinal movements further increases its risk as climate conditions continue to change.
Significant Events: Brown-capped Rosy-Finches have experienced dramatic population declines, with estimates suggesting a reduction of up to 95% over the past 50 years.