Asian crimson-winged finch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Asian crimson-winged finch
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification

The Asian crimson-winged finch (Rhodopechys sanguineus) is a light-colored, sturdy finch with a strong, yellowish beak. This bird lives in rocky mountains from Turkey all the way to northeastern Pakistan. It used to be thought that the African crimson-winged finch was the same species, and together they were known as the crimson-winged finch.

This finch is about 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long. Its wings can spread out to about 32 centimetres (13 in). It is mostly light brown, with a white belly. It has a black cap on its head and pretty pink patterns on its wings and tail. Female finches are usually a bit less brightly colored than the males.

These birds live on rocky mountainsides, often in high places. They can be found in dry areas with very few plants. Sometimes, they even build their nests in cracks in the rocks. They eat seeds. In winter, they fly down in groups to farm fields to find food. The female finch lays and takes care of 4 or 5 blue eggs that have light speckles.

About Their Look

Asian crimson-winged finch in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Asian crimson-winged finches have some unique features. They are known for their strong, yellowish beaks and the striking pink colors on their wings and tail.

How They Differ from African Finches

There are a few ways to tell Asian crimson-winged finches apart from their relatives in Africa:

• Asian birds have a solid brownish color on their chin and throat. African birds have a more rosy-grey-white chin with a narrow brown band below it.
• The brown marks on the chest and sides of Asian birds are larger than those on African birds.
• African birds have less black on the top of their heads compared to Asian birds. On male African finches, the black is often only on the front part of the head.

Male birds also show some extra differences:

• Male Asian finches have a lot of pink on the feathers above their tail. Male African finches do not have this pink.
• Male Asian finches often have black spots on the sides of their chest. Male African finches never have these spots.
• Asian birds can have clear black marks on their back. These marks are much lighter on African birds.
• Asian birds usually have clearer black marks near their ears than African birds.
• Asian birds typically have more red on their face, sometimes above their eyes. While African birds can have some red here, it's not as common.