White-Rumped Snowfinch
Onychostruthus taczanowskii
Aves › Passeriformes › Passeridae › Onychostruthus
Conservation status: least_concern
The white-rumped snowfinch is a species of passerine bird in the sparrow family Passeridae. It is the only member of the genus Onychostruthus. It is sometimes placed in the genus Montifringilla.
How To Identify
The White-Rumped Snowfinch is a small, compact passerine with overall plumage that ranges from streaky grayish-brown on the back and breast. The key identifying mark is its brilliant contrastingly white rump patch.
Habitat
It inhabits high-altitude rocky slopes, alpine meadows, and barren mountainous terrain in the Himalayas and adjacent ranges of Central Asia.
Behaviour
It forages in small flocks on the ground for seeds and insects, often moving between rocky outcrops and displaying characteristic hopping movements across alpine terrain.
Native Range
The white-rumped snowfinch is found in Tibet and central-northern China.
Did You Know?
The White-rumped Snowfinch is one of the highest-altitude breeding birds in the world, nesting at elevations up to 5,500 meters in the Himalayas where few other birds can survive. Its white rump patch is particularly striking against the dark rocky terrain of its mountain home.
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