Birds · Passeriformes · Fringillidae

Sinai Rosefinch

Carpodacus synoicus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Sinai rosefinch is a finch of the rocky deserts of the Near East. The male in breeding season takes on a pale pink tone on the head and breast that makes him unmistakable against the ochre rock. It lives in flocks that move through the canyons looking for seeds and depends on the availability of water at springs and pools.

Weight

18 g – 26 g

Size

14 cm – 16 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertMountainHerbivore Diurnal Bird Desert Mountain

18countries 8parks13same family

Fun facts

It is the national bird of Jordan and appears in the country's tourist imagery, above all associated with the canyons of Petra, where it is easy to see among the rock-cut tombs.
It depends on springs and pools: in the rocky desert where it lives, the flocks come to drink at fixed points every day, and that dependence shapes its entire distribution.
The male's pink tone appears only in the breeding season through feather wear rather than moult: the brown tips erode away and reveal the pink beneath.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Arid canyons, rocky slopes and wadis with scattered vegetation in Sinai, Israel, Jordan and Arabia
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 14 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 4 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpodacus_synoicus