Photo: As kannan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blanford’s Snowfinch
Pyrgilauda blanfordi
Blanford's Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda blanfordi) — 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 Blanford’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda blanfordi) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 23.7 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 blanfordi
Where it lives
South-central Palearctic in Tibetan Plateau alpine stony and grassy steppe: southeastern Xinjiang east through Qinghai, in south from northern, eastern Ladakh, northern Nepal, northern Sikkim east to northwestern Sichuan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blanford’s 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 Blanford’s Snowfinch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Blanford’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda blanfordi) belongs to the Passeridae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sc Palearctic in Tibetan Plateau alpine stony and grassy steppe: se Xinjiang e through Qinghai, in s from n, e Ladakh, n Nepal, n Sikkim e to nw Sichuan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.7 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 125,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blanford’s Snowfinch?
The Blanford’s Snowfinch is a small bird that weighs around 23.7 g.
Where does the Blanford’s Snowfinch live?
The Blanford’s Snowfinch is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sc Palearctic in Tibetan Plateau alpine stony and grassy steppe: se Xinjiang e through Qinghai, in s from n, e Ladakh, n Nepal, n Sikkim e to nw Sichuan, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Blanford’s Snowfinch belong to?
The Blanford’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda blanfordi) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blanford’s Snowfinch eat?
The Blanford’s Snowfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Blanford’s Snowfinch migrate?
The Blanford’s Snowfinch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Blanford’s 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 Blanford’s Snowfinch make?
1 real field recording of the Blanford’s Snowfinch — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Blanford’s Snowfinch's range?
The Blanford’s Snowfinch has a mapped global range of about 125,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Passeridae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.