Photo: Simon J. Tonge / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brandt’s Mountain Finch
Leucosticte brandti
Brandt's Mountain Finch (Leucosticte brandti) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch (Leucosticte brandti) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 30.4 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 Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Leucosticte
- Species brandti
Where it lives
Central, south-central Palearctic from Tienshan to Altai and Himalayas in barren high-alpine zone: eastern Kazakhstan northeast to Altay and Tuva regions (south-central Russia), western, northwestern Xinjiang (northwestern China) and northern, western Mongolia; in south through northeastern Afghanistan, eastern in Karakorum, southern, central, eastern Tibet and Inner Himalayas to far northern Myanmar, northeast to northern Qinghai and northwestern Gansu (north-central China)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.4 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch (Leucosticte brandti) belongs to the Fringillidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR c, sc Palearctic from Tienshan to Altai and Himalayas in barren high-alpine zone: e Kazakhstan ne to Altay and Tuva regions (sc Russia), w, nw Xinjiang (nw China) and n, w Mongolia; in s through ne Afghanistan, e in Karakorum, s, c, e Tibet and Inner Himalayas to far n Myanmar, ne to n Qinghai and nw Gansu (nc China).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.4 g, with a wing length of about 11.7 cm and a tail of around 7.7 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 3.6 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brandt’s Mountain Finch?
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch is a small bird that weighs around 30.4 g.
Where does the Brandt’s Mountain Finch live?
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR c, sc Palearctic from Tienshan to Altai and Himalayas in barren high-alpine zone: e Kazakhstan ne to Altay and Tuva regions (sc Russia), w, nw Xinjiang (nw China) and n, w Mongolia; in s through ne Afghanistan, e in Karakorum, s, c, e Tibet and Inner Himalayas to far n Myanmar, ne to n Qinghai and nw Gansu (nc China), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Brandt’s Mountain Finch belong to?
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch (Leucosticte brandti) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brandt’s Mountain Finch eat?
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Brandt’s Mountain Finch migrate?
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Brandt’s Mountain Finch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Brandt’s Mountain Finch's range?
The Brandt’s Mountain Finch has a mapped global range of about 3.6 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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Guides for this bird
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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.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.