Molt Pattern of the Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus and Dichromatism on Color of Female Type Individuals

Abstract

Molt pattern of Common Rosefinch and dichromatism of female type individuals were discussed by using the data of banded birds in Kamchatka by Japan-Russia cooperative banding study. In European nominate subspecies of Common Rosefinch, C. e. erythrinus, adults molt completely at winter ground. In Russian and Japanese subspecies, C. e. grebnitskii, however, some adults molt after migration like a nominate subspecies, but some others molt completely at breeding ground before migration. Also, two color types, olive type and red type, were recognized in color of the edge of flight and tail feathers in both adult and juvenile birds of female type plumage. It is probable that a red type individual is a juvenile male or poorly colored young male.