Plain Mountain Finch

Leucosticte nemoricola (Hodgson, 1836)

≈16 cmLength22 gWeight

This mountain finch has plumage markings like those of House Sparrow and often sings from rocks.

Busiest months: May · Most records: China, Bhutan, Kazakhstan

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Bill short and pointed
Head buff-brown with streaks
Back dark brown with pale streaks
Lower back pale gray

Male, female and young

Sexes similar; juvenile is paler, with less distinct markings.

Voice

Gives a loud, dry “tchit-ti-tit” when in flocks in flight, as well as a softer “chi-chi-chi-chi”.

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: May · Most records: China, Bhutan, Kazakhstan

Plain Mountain Finch has been recorded at 146 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 8 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

ChelelaBhutan187 records
Balang Shan [General Area]China170 records
Balang Shan PassChina125 records

More places

Ile-Alatau NP – Kosmos StationKazakhstan99 records
Balang Shan – Tunnel AreaChina87 records
E'La Mountain PassChina84 records
PelelaBhutan81 records
Ile-Alatau NPKazakhstan54 records
Ile-Alatau NP – Tien-Shan Astronomical ObservatoryKazakhstan53 records
Rubber Mountain PassChina44 records

Countries and regions with the most records

China Bhutan Kazakhstan India Kyrgyzstan Nepal Tajikistan Mongolia

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 plain mountain finch (Leucosticte nemoricola) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland, upland forest and rocky cliffs. It is a resident breeder across the Himalayas.

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

Questions

How big is the Plain Mountain Finch?

The Plain Mountain Finch is about ≈16 cm long and weighs around 22 g.

Where does the Plain Mountain Finch live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: central, south-central Palearctic from Tienshan to Altai and Himalayas in alpine meadows and subalpine scrub: eastern Kazakhstan northeast to Altay and Tuva regions (south-central Russia), western, northwestern Xinjiang (northwestern China) and western Mongolia; in south through northeastern Afghanistan, eastern in Karakorum, southern, central, eastern Tibet and Inner Himalayas to far northern Myanmar and northwestern Yunnan, northeast to northern Qinghai, Gansu and southern Shaanxi (north-central China). It is most often recorded in China, Bhutan and Kazakhstan.

When is the best time to see the Plain Mountain Finch?

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

Is the Plain Mountain Finch endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Plain Mountain Finch as Least Concern.

What does the Plain Mountain Finch eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Plain Mountain Finch in?

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

At a glance

Length: ≈16 cm
Weight: 22 g
Habitat: Grassland
Diet: Seeds
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 92 mm
Tail: 63 mm
Bill: 13 mm
Tarsus: 18 mm

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

Range

Oriental: central, south-central Palearctic from Tienshan to Altai and Himalayas in alpine meadows and subalpine scrub: eastern Kazakhstan northeast to Altay and Tuva regions (south-central Russia), western, northwestern Xinjiang (northwestern China) and western Mongolia; in south through northeastern Afghanistan, eastern in Karakorum, southern, central, eastern Tibet and Inner Himalayas to far northern Myanmar and northwestern Yunnan, northeast to northern Qinghai, Gansu and southern Shaanxi (north-central China)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 2

Leucosticte nemoricola altaica ne Afghanistan to e Kazakhstan and e to s Siberia, w Mongolia, nw China and nw Himalayas
Leucosticte nemoricola nemoricola c Tibet and c Himalayas to c China