himalayan white-browed rosefinch Carpodacus thura

Medium-sized rosefinch of semi-open and brushy habitats. Male is beautiful, with a streaked rich brown back and lilac-pink cheeks, brow stripe, and underparts; note namesake bright white patch at the rear of the brow stripe. Female is streaky brown above and streaky off-white below, with a rusty breast patch. Very similar to Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, but range overlap is minimal; see that species’ account. Often gives a hoarse and nasal series of ascending notes: “beet-beet-beET-bEEt-bEEt!”