[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 13 in.]

This Brown-capped Rosy-Finch was photographed at the mountaintop restaurant, Sandia Crest, New Mexico, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: March 3, 2008)

[Length 7.25 in. Wingspan 14.75 in.]

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches are sparrow-sized birds with a rich brown back and breast, a deep rose-colored belly, a rosy wash across the wings, and a black head with gray sides and back. Females are the same basic color pattern, but duller overall. They breed across most of Alaska (including the entire Aleutian Island chain) except the far northern tundra, and along the mountains of western Canada, western Washington, western Oregon, and western Montana. In winter they move to lower elevations and south throughout the mountains and foothills of western Canada and the western US. The Aleutian Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch is noticeably larger and shows more gray on the face than its mainland cousins. This male "Aleutian" Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was photographed on Attu Island, Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 500mm f8.0 mirror lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1988)

[Length 7.25 in. Wingspan 14.75 in.]

This male "Aleutian" Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was photographed on Attu Island, Alaska, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1988)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 13 in.]

This "Hepburn's" Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was photographed at the mountaintop restaurant, Sandia Crest, New Mexico, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: March 3, 2008)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 13 in.]

This Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was photographed at the mountaintop restaurant, Sandia Crest, New Mexico, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: March 3, 2008)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 13 in.]

This Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was photographed at the mountaintop restaurant, Sandia Crest, New Mexico, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: March 3, 2008)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 13 in.]

This Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was photographed at the mountaintop restaurant, Sandia Crest, New Mexico, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: March 3, 2008)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 21 in.]

This Ruff was photographed at Pedricktown, NJ, USA. Photo taken with a Celestron 750mm f5.6 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: April 1979)

[Length 11 in. Wingspan 21 in.]

This Ruff was photographed at Pedricktown, NJ, USA. Photo taken with a Celestron 1250mm f10.0 lens on Ektachrome 800 film. (Date: April 1984)