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Home/Species/ Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte tephrocotis

(Swainson, 1832)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

G5Secure Found in 83 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103907
Element CodeABPBY02030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyFringillidae
GenusLeucosticte
Other Common Names
gray-crowned rosy-finch (EN) Grey-crowned Rosy-finch (EN) Roselin à tête grise (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Prior to 1983, North American rosy-finches were regarded as three species (L. atrata, L. australis, and L. tephrocotis). AOU (1983) lumped these together with Asian species as L. arctoa. Subsequently, Sibley and Monroe (1990, who cited unpublished genetic, biochemical, and morphological data by French and Loskot) and AOU (1993, who stated that the 1983 merger was based on insufficient new information) again recognized three species of rosy-finches in North America, distinct from Old World L L. arctoa. Zink et al. (1995) concluded from limited mtDNA data that L. tephrocotis likely is specifically distinct from Old World L. arctoa.

The three North American species sometimes have been merged as L. tephrocotis, American rosy-finch. Unpublished work by Johnson (1972) recognized a fourth North American species (L. griseonucha, comprising nominal subspecies griseonucha and umbrina of the Pribilof and Aleutian islands), but this taxon has not been accepted as a full species in subsequent checklists. Nominal subspecies of L. tephrocotis generally have not been recognized in recent literature.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-04
Edition Date1995-03-08
Edition AuthorsR.E. Johnson and J.D. Reichel. Minor revisions by L. Master & G. Hammerson.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Populations and large and widespread. No threats are known.
Range Extent Comments
BREEDS: western and north-central Alaska (north to the Seward Peninsula and Brooks Range), central Yukon, British Columbia, and southwestern Alberta south to southern Alaska (including St. Matthew, Nunivak, and the Pribilof and Aleutian islands), and through the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and Rocky Mountains to northeastern Oregon, east-central California (to Tulare County), central Idaho, and northwestern Montana, also in the Commander Islands (AOU 1983). WINTERS: Aleutians, southern mainland Alaska (rarely), British Columbia, southern Alberta, and southwestern Saskatchewan south to eastern California, central Nevada, central Utah, northern New Mexico, and northwestern Nebraska (AOU 1983).
Occurrences Comments
Hundreds.
Threat Impact Comments
Subspecies TEPHROCOTIS and DAWSONI- sealing of mine shafts used for winter roost sites; Aleutians- local populations may be small and subject to local extinctions. Very large scale open mining in breeding areas could affect some populations.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Barren, rocky or grassy areas and cliffs among glaciers or beyond timberline; in migration and winter also in open situations, fields, cultivated lands, brushy areas, and around human habitation (AOU 1983). Subspecies GRISEONUCHA and UMBRINA breed on sea cliffs and feed on beaches and maritme tundra; other subspecies breed in alpine habitat.

Nests usually in rock crevices or holes in cliffs. Nests in buildings and other structures on Amchitka Island, Alaska (Johnson 1983).

Ecology

Males typically outnumber females in breeding and wintering populations. During breeding season male defends "territory" around female wherever she moves (Ryser 1985). Forms large flocks (up to 1000+ individuals) when not breeding.

Reproduction

In some areas, clutch size is 4-5, and incubation, by female, lasts 12-14 days; young leave nest at about 20 days. In the Aleutians, eggs are laid in late April-July, clutch size is 3-6, fledging occurs at 15-22 days, and there may be two broods per year (Johnson 1983). Young are tended by both sexes.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousAlpineTundraBare rock/talus/screeCliffCropland/hedgerow
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5B,NUN,N4M
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS4B,SUNYes
British ColumbiaS5BYes
SaskatchewanSUNYes
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
Northwest TerritoriesSUYes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoS3Yes
North DakotaSNAYes
WyomingS5NYes
UtahS3NYes
NevadaS2Yes
MontanaS2Yes
AlaskaS3N,S5BYes
ColoradoS4NYes
OregonS3B,S2NYes
South DakotaS3NYes
CaliforniaSNRB,SNRNYes
New MexicoS3NYes
WashingtonS3B,S3NYes
Roadless Areas (83)
Alaska (4)
AreaForestAcres
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
California (25)
AreaForestAcres
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Caples CreekEldorado National Forest17,854
Coyote NorthInyo National Forest11,932
Coyote SoutheastInyo National Forest53,159
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
Hall Natural AreaInyo National Forest5,236
Hoover - Mt.olsenHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest624
Hoover - Virginia LksHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,050
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Mt. OlsenInyo National Forest2,161
Mt. Shasta AShasta-Trinity National Forest676
Mt. Shasta BShasta-Trinity National Forest2,809
Mt. Shasta CShasta-Trinity National Forest292
NessieInyo National Forest830
NightStanislaus National Forest3,173
North LakeInyo National Forest2,406
Rock Creek WestInyo National Forest3,626
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
Table Mtn.Inyo National Forest4,215
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
Tioga LakeInyo National Forest829
Tragedy - Elephants BackEldorado National Forest20,866
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
Colorado (2)
AreaForestAcres
Dome PeakRoutt NF35,716
Long ParkRoutt NF42,100
Idaho (5)
AreaForestAcres
HoodooNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest153,868
NeedlesPayette National Forest131,279
PalisadesCaribou-Targhee National Forest122,002
Pioneer MountainsSawtooth National Forest119,563
Pioneer MountainsSalmon-Challis National Forest172,460
Montana (13)
AreaForestAcres
Allan Mountain (01946)Bitterroot National Forest104,184
Anaconda HillHelena National Forest18,546
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanHelena National Forest51,360
BridgerGallatin National Forest45,059
East PioneerBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest145,082
Evans GulchLolo National Forest8,059
Gilt Edge - Silver CreekLolo National Forest10,055
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
Republic MountainGallatin National Forest836
Specimen CreekHelena National Forest12,368
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
West PioneerBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest248,631
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
New Mexico (3)
AreaForestAcres
Columbine - Hondo Wilderness Study AreaCarson National Forest43,739
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
Oregon (5)
AreaForestAcres
BearwallowsDeschutes National Forest7,317
Joseph CanyonWallowa-Whitman National Forest24,288
Mt. Hood AdditionsMt. Hood National Forest13,061
Mt. ThielsenWinema National Forest1,153
N. BoundaryWinema National Forest769
Utah (6)
AreaForestAcres
0401002Ashley National Forest36,113
0401006Ashley National Forest7,645
418040Uinta National Forest1,702
Mt. OlympusWasatch-Cache National Forest9,982
North FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest8,148
Twin PeaksWasatch-Cache National Forest6,157
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
Washington (10)
AreaForestAcres
ChelanWenatchee National Forest74,650
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Goat Rocks AdjWenatchee National Forest6,108
Liberty BellOkanogan National Forest108,495
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
SawtoothOkanogan National Forest122,194
Wyoming (8)
AreaForestAcres
Beartooth Proposed WildernessShoshone National Forest16,837
Gros Ventre MountainsBridger-Teton National Forest106,418
Middle ForkMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest13,238
PalisadesTarghee National Forest1,121
Sheep MountainMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest17,626
South Beartooth HighwayShoshone National Forest105,570
West Slope TetonsTarghee National Forest47,448
West Slope WindsBridger-Teton National Forest143,252
References (20)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1993. Thirty-ninth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 110:675-82.
  3. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  4. Balda, R. P., and G. C. Bateman. 1971. Flocking and annual cycle of the piñon jay, <i>Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus</i>. Condor 73:287-302.
  5. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  6. Horn, H. S. 1968. The adaptive significance of colonial nesting in the Brewer's Blackbird. Ecology 49:682-694.
  7. Johnson, R. E. 1972e. The biosystematics of the avian genus <i>Leucosticte</i>. Ph.D dissertation. University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.
  8. Johnson, R. E. 1983. Nesting biology of the rosy finch on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Condor 85:447-452.
  9. Ligon, J. D. 1971. Late summer-autumnal breeding of the piñon jay in New Mexico. Condor 73:147-153.
  10. MacDougall-Shackleton, S. A., R. E. Johnson, and T. P. Hahn. 2000. Gray-crowned rosy-finch (<i>Leucosticte tephrocotis</i>). The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, editor.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/559
  11. Moore, W. S., and R. A. Dolbeer. 1989. The use of banding recovery data to estimate dispersal rates and gene flow in avian species: case studies in the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle. Condor 91:242-253.
  12. National Geographic Society (NGS). 1983. Field guide to the birds of North America. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC.
  13. Ryser, F.A. 1985. Birds of the Great Basin a natural history. University of Nevada Press, Reno, NV.
  14. Sibley, C.G., and B.L. Monroe, Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. xxiv + 1111 pp.
  15. Tarvin, K. A., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1999. Blue Jay (<i>Cyanocitta cristata</i>). No. 469 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 32pp.
  16. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  17. Thompson, F. R., III. 1994. Temporal and spatial patterns of breeding brown-headed cowbirds in the midwestern United States. Auk 111:979-990.
  18. Williams, L. 1952b. Breeding behavior of the Brewer blackbird. Condor 54:3-47.
  19. Willson, M. F. 1966. Breeding ecology of the Yellow-headed Blackbird. Ecological Monographs 36:51-77.
  20. Zink, R. M., S. Rohwer, A. V. Andreev, and D. L. Dittman. 1995. Trans-Beringia comparisons of mitochondrial DNA differentiation in birds. Condor 97:639-649.