English: Great Rosefinch, Caucasian Great Rosefinch          
Russian: Большая чечевица     
Mongolian: Улаан бужмар
German: Berggimpel     
French: Roselin tachete              
Japanese: シロボシマシコ (Shiroboshi-mashiko)

Body length:19-20 ½ cm.

Alpine species breeding on bare mountains at above 2500 m (usually above 3000 m), preferably close to glaciers, on sunny, boulder-strewn slopes with grass and supply of seeds of dandelions. Resident, but in winter descends to c. 1000m or lower depending on snow situation; then seen in small flocks, and rather mobile. As a rule shy, difficult to approach. Late nester, often not incubating until end Jul. Nests in rock crevice or under boulder.

Identification: Bi as Pine Grosbeak, and similarly stocky. Bill heavy. Wings and tail rather long. Flight deeply undulating over longer stretches. Plumage quite dark, which together with size and manner of flight can at distance give thrush-like impression.

• Adult ♂: Dark raspberry-red sprinkled with fine white sports on crown and underparts. Rather swarthy on lores and around eye, giving ‘stern’ facial expression. Rear swarthy on lores and around eye, giving ‘stern’ facial expression. Rear cheeks have pinkish-white lustre. Bill rather pale, yellowish-grey.
  
• ♀/1st summer ♂: Entirely brownish-grey (no red) and heavy streaked dark; lores, eye region and forecheeks fairly dark. Biil grey-brown.