Dark-breasted rosefinch explained

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.^{[1] [2]}

Subspecies

Subspecific variation is mostly clinal, with the plumage becoming darker from west to east.^[3] There are between two-three recognised subspecies:^[4]

• 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.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gill . Frank . Donsker . David . Finches, euphonias . World Bird List Version 5.2. International Ornithologists' Union. 5 June 2015 .
2. Zuccon . Dario . Prŷs-Jones . Robert . Rasmussen . Pamela C. . Ericson . Per G.P. . 2012 . The phylogenetic relationships and generic limits of finches (Fringillidae) . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 62 . 2 . 581–596 . 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.10.002 . 22023825.
3. Clement. Peter. Josep . Del Hoyo . Andrew . Elliott . Jordi . Sargatal . David . Christie . Eduardo . De Juana . 2020-03-04. Dark-breasted Rosefinch (Procarduelis nipalensis). Birds of the World. 10.2173/bow.dabros1.01 . 216485275 . en.
4. Web site: Finches, euphonias, longspurs, Thrush-tanager – IOC World Bird List. 2021-06-21. en-US.