Carpodacus erythrinus

These are called scarlet or common rosefinches. It's funny, the last specific animal species I worked on was a shrike that also mostly just passes through Britain's eastern coast and used to nest there. These birds do that too. Though there seasons are different, these can be consistently seen from late spring through autumn, from what I can tell. Or at least those are all the months they can be seen in, maybe it's not consistent.  The fully grown males are red from head and sometimes through their entire body, while females and male juveniles share the same dull brown plumage. Apparently older males are more red, or maybe they meant young, strong men are more red but then they turn brown with age. I don't know. They live in a variety of habitats in high and low elevations. They can be found all over continental Europe and Asia. They seem to be less likely to inhabitat Russia, but can be found in a lot of countries south of there, including the Middle East. I wonder if deserts or mountain ranges curb their range? The male becomes brown in winter.

My source says that the subspecies look different mostly in terms of how the red extends across the body and the brightness of intensity. Maybe in some places we should call it a common rosefinch, but in others its so scarlet that that's a better name. But I don't know.

*C.e. erythrinus* From northern, central, and eastern continental Europe all the way east to central Siberia and northwest Mongolia. Found in the northwest to south Balkans through Romania to north Ukraine and through northern and east Pakistan. Spends its winters in northern India up to lowland Nepal and Bhutan, northern Myanmar and northwest Thailand.

*C.e. ferghanensis* East and southeastern Kazakhstan, western China, south Afghanistan, west Pakistan and northwest Himalayas. Winters in northwest India. "This race has darker brown head and upperparts, and less reddish on the upperparts. On the underparts, belly and flanks show larger extent of rose-red. The female is darker or browner."

C.e. roseatus is found in central and east Himalayas, east to northeast India and east to central and south China. It winters in India east to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and south and southeast China. "In this race, the breeding male is deeper red than other races, with deep carmine on head and upperparts, bright carmine-red rump, whereas mantle and scapulars are streaked blackish. On the underparts, the red extends down to the breast and slightly onto belly and flanks. The female is darker brown with heavier streaking overall. "

**C.e. grebnitskii** is found in E Siberia and Russian Far East, N Mongolia, NE China and N Sakhalin. It winters in SE and S China, S to N Thailand and N Vietnam.

This race is darker carmine-red than nominate, with deeper red upperparts, and paler or more pinkish-red underparts extending to belly and flanks.

The female is darker or browner overall.

**C.e. kubanensis** occurs in N and E Turkey, Caucasus and N and NE Iran. It winters to N India.

In this race, the male is similar to nominate, with deeper red head and breast. Mantle and scapulars are brown with reddish tinge. On the underparts, pinkish-red extends to upper belly and flanks.

The female is paler and greyer, less olive-tinged than nominate.

1. ↑ https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/common-rosefinch
2. ↑ https://ebird.org/species/comros
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-common-rosefinch.html