Photo: Didier Descouens / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Desert Finch
Rhodospiza obsoleta
Desert Finch (Rhodospiza obsoleta) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Desert Finch (Rhodospiza obsoleta) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 25.5 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 Rhodospiza
- Species obsoleta
Where it lives
Temperate to subtropical south-central, central Palearctic in dry scrub, orchards, gardens: southeastern Turkey east through southern Kazakhstan, western, northern Xinjiang (northwestern China), far southwestern Mongolia to central Inner Mongolia (north-central China); in south to Sinai Pen., central Saudi Arabia, southeastern Iran, northern Afghanistan and north-central Pakistan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Desert Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Desert Finch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Desert Finch (Rhodospiza obsoleta) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate to subtropical sc, c Palearctic in dry scrub, orchards, gardens: se Turkey e through s Kazakhstan, w, n Xinjiang (nw China), far sw Mongolia to c Inner Mongolia (nc China); in s to Sinai Pen., c Saudi Arabia, se Iran, n Afghanistan and nc Pakistan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 6.6 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 3.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Desert Finch?
The Desert Finch is a small bird that weighs around 25.5 g.
Where does the Desert Finch live?
The Desert Finch is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate to subtropical sc, c Palearctic in dry scrub, orchards, gardens: se Turkey e through s Kazakhstan, w, n Xinjiang (nw China), far sw Mongolia to c Inner Mongolia (nc China); in s to Sinai Pen., c Saudi Arabia, se Iran, n Afghanistan and nc Pakistan, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Desert Finch belong to?
The Desert Finch (Rhodospiza obsoleta) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Desert Finch eat?
The Desert Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Desert Finch migrate?
The Desert Finch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Desert 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.
What sound does the Desert Finch make?
1 real field recording of the Desert Finch — 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 Desert Finch's range?
The Desert Finch has a mapped global range of about 3.5 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
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.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.