Dark-breasted Rosefinch

The dark-breasted rosefinch (Procarduelis nipalensis) is a species of true finch in the monotypic genus Procarduelis. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are boreal forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. == Taxonomy == The dark-breasted rosefinch was formerly placed in the genus Carpodacus but was moved Procarduelis based on the results from the phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. === Subspecies === Subspecific variation is mostly clinal, with the plumage becoming darker from west to east. There are between two-three recognised subspecies: P. n. nipalensis – Hodgson, 1836: The nominate, it is found in the Himalayas, from Kumaon to Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and southeastern Tibet. Populations from southwestern China, south Tibet, and northern Vietnam are sometimes separated as a distinct subspecies, P. n. intensicolor. P. n. kangrae – Whistler, 1939: in the western Himalayas, from Kashmir to Garhwal. == Description == The Dark-breasted rosefinch is a medium-sized finch characterized by sexual dimorphism. Males exhibit a vibrant dark pink plumage with a contrasting lighter throat and eyebrow stripe, while females, in contrast, are a subdued dark brown with conspicuous light-colored wingbars. While superficially resembling the Vinaceous Rosefinch…