BROWN-CAPPED ROSY FINCH 383 



flock, when their habits are much like those of the Shore-Larks 

 [Otocoris]; but, on the return of pleasant weather, the flocks are 

 dispersed, and the birds are found singly or in small companies." 



At night during the winter the rosy finches congregate in roosts, all 

 four species together, sometimes numbering a thousand or more. 

 Niedrach (MS.) has studied such a roost at Red Rocks Park, at 

 Morrison, Colo., a 6,000 feet elevation. The birds begin to arrive 

 there from the hills above about 3:00 p.m. and do considerable 

 foraging before seeking their sleeping crannies. They quarrel vocif- 

 erously among themselves over the roosting spots, flying in and out 

 of the cliffs until it is totally dark. In this roost each bird occupies a 

 little blowhole, which is usually soiled with a great mass of droppings. 

 In another roost, along the Hogback west of Denver, the birds sleep 

 in cliff swallow casings in association with juncos, house sparrows, 

 and pine siskins. 



These foothill roosts are occupied nightly until about April 10, and 

 are then abandoned, the birds presumably moving up a few thousand 

 feet with the retreating snows. Through April and early May many 

 birds remain at elevations of 7,000 to 9,000 feet, the migrant species 

 disappearing from the region gradually. A late spring storm may 

 force the remaining birds down into the foothills briefly, but as these 

 snows melt quickly, they soon return. As the alpine tundra blows 

 clear of snow and the brown-capped rosy finches ascend to their 

 nesting ranges, the wintering flocks gradually diminish. 



Horace G. Smith of Denver reports that he has seen brown- 

 capped rosy finches on two occasions in that city, both times in 

 winter. One flew into an open window of a residence, and a band of 

 the birds once entered a cowshed to roost for the night. 



Distribution 



Range. — Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. 



Breeding range. — Breeds in the mountains of southeastern Wyoming 

 (Medicine Bow Range), Colorado (near Walden, Pikes Peak) and 

 central northern New Mexico (Wheeler Peak). 



Winter range. — Winters at lower altitudes within the breeding range. 



Migration. — Late dates of spring departure are: Colorado — 

 Colorado Springs, May 28; Walden, May 21 (median of 8 years, 

 April 10). 



Early dates of fall arrival are: Colorado — Walden, November 4 

 (median of 7 years, November 13). 



Egg dates. — Colorado : 1 1 records, June 28 to July 27. 



