-Photo by Simon Wray, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii)

This finch of montane pine and aspen forests is a surprisingly talented mimic, often incorporating songs and calls of the Mountain Chickadee, American Robin, Western Tanager, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Townsend's Solitaire into its own song. Adult male Cassin's Finches have bright crimson rose-pink caps, slightly paler pink upper chest and rump, and pale pink streaks in the wings. The colorful cap ends abruptly at the brown nape of the neck. Females and first-year males and females are identical.

The Cassin's Finch is a fairly common summer resident from the Cascade summit eastward throughout all mountainous and forested regions of eastern Oregon.