Crimson-browed Finch

Carpodacus subhimachalus (Hodgson, 1836)

≈19 cmLength46 gWeight

The male has a crimson head and throat, the female has a yellow head and throat, and the bill is short and very stout.

Busiest months: April · Most records: China, Bhutan, Nepal

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Male: head and throat crimson
Bill short and very stout
A relatively large finch

Male, female and young

The male has a crimson head and throat; the female has a yellow head and throat.

Where and when it's recorded

Crimson-browed Finch has been recorded at 63 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

PelelaBhutan85 records
Balang Shan – Tunnel AreaChina62 records
Balang Shan [General Area]China58 records

More places

MengbishanChina31 records
Sengor – camp and upper Lingmethan RdBhutan22 records
Dochula PassBhutan19 records
Dochula – Royal Botanical ParkBhutan16 records
Annapurna Conservation Area - Ghode Pani and PoonhillNepal14 records
Mt. PhulchowkiNepal14 records
Mengbishan – upper trackChina11 records

Countries and regions with the most records

China Bhutan Nepal India Myanmar (Burma)

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The crimson-browed finch (Carpodacus subhimachalus) is a true finch species (family Fringillidae). It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate shrubland.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Crimson-browed Finch?

The Crimson-browed Finch is about ≈19 cm long and weighs around 46 g.

Where does the Crimson-browed Finch live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic, Oriental: south-central Palearctic in Himalayan, Tibetan Plateau alpine scrub and scattered conifers: central, eastern Himalayas from central Nepal and south-central, southeastern Tibet through Sichuan and Qinghai south to northern Myanmar and northern Yunnan (central, south-central China). It is most often recorded in China, Bhutan and Nepal.

When is the best time to see the Crimson-browed Finch?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Crimson-browed Finch endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Crimson-browed Finch as Least Concern.

What does the Crimson-browed Finch eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Crimson-browed Finch in?

It belongs to the family Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length: ≈19 cm
Weight: 46 g
Habitat: Shrubland
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Perches in trees
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 90 mm
Tail: 76 mm
Bill: 15 mm
Tarsus: 22 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic, Oriental: south-central Palearctic in Himalayan, Tibetan Plateau alpine scrub and scattered conifers: central, eastern Himalayas from central Nepal and south-central, southeastern Tibet through Sichuan and Qinghai south to northern Myanmar and northern Yunnan (central, south-central China)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2