Photo: Artist unknown / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-necked Snowfinch
Pyrgilauda ruficollis
Rufous-necked Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda ruficollis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda ruficollis) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 22.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passeridae Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
- Genus Pyrgilauda
- Species ruficollis
Where it lives
South-central Palearctic in Tibetan Plateau alpine stony and grassy steppe: southwestern Xinjiang east to Qinghai and western Gansu, in south from eastern Ladakh, northern Nepal, northern Sikkim east to western Sichuan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda ruficollis) is a member of the Passeridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sc Palearctic in Tibetan Plateau alpine stony and grassy steppe: sw Xinjiang e to Qinghai and w Gansu, in s from e Ladakh, n Nepal, n Sikkim e to w Sichuan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.2 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-necked Snowfinch?
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch is a small bird that weighs around 22.8 g.
Where does the Rufous-necked Snowfinch live?
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sc Palearctic in Tibetan Plateau alpine stony and grassy steppe: sw Xinjiang e to Qinghai and w Gansu, in s from e Ladakh, n Nepal, n Sikkim e to w Sichuan, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Rufous-necked Snowfinch belong to?
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda ruficollis) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-necked Snowfinch eat?
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Rufous-necked Snowfinch migrate?
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Rufous-necked Snowfinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Rufous-necked Snowfinch make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-necked Snowfinch — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rufous-necked Snowfinch's range?
The Rufous-necked Snowfinch has a mapped global range of about 1.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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