Songbirds from three different families: finches, cardinals, and weavers are given the name Grosbeak, which literally means “large beak.”
Five Grosbeaks are regularly seen in North America, while two are just passing through. There are a total of 34 species of Grosbeaks in the world. The finch and cardinal families both have Grosbeaks in North America.
Females are more subdued in their plumage than males, who are brilliantly coloured sturdy birds. They appear to be very similar in size and shape, despite being from different family groups. They have strong beaks capable of cracking seeds and notched tails.
The west of the Rockies is home to Black-headed Grosbeaks, whereas the east is home to Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. In the Great Plains and southern states, Blue Grosbeaks live.
Although Evening Grosbeaks are one of the most well-known North American breeds, they may just appear from time to time when cone crops are poor and they have to travel south to feed. They are most often found in the western provinces of Canada.
Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Grosbeaks prefer to live in the same places. The other two species are accidental wanders who dwell farther south in Mexico and beyond, although they occasionally cross the border.
This guide will teach you which Grosbeak species may be seen in North America, based on avibase data and information provided by birdwatchers on ebird. Birdwatchers organize the birds according to how often they’re seen on checklists.
How often Grosbeak are recorded in bird checklists in North America:
- Three percent of the population is Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
- Grosbeak with a black head 1.80%
- The Blue Grosbeak is 1.50%
- The Evening Grosbeak is 0.57%
- The Pine Grosbeak is 0.17% of the population.
- The accidental Crimson-collared Grosbeak 0.01%
- 0.01% – Yellow Grosbeak
1. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have black heads and backs, white bellies, and crimson breasts. They are black-and-white birds. Their wings have a red flash as well.
Brown with a lot of streaking and a flash of yellow under the wings, female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and immature males
- Pheucticus ludovicianus
- Length: 7.1-8.3 in (18-21 cm)
- Weight: 1.4-1.7 oz (39-49 g)
- Wingspan: 11.4-13.0 in (29-33 cm)
Northern and central Canada, as well as the Midwest and southern Canada, are home to Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. In the southern United States, they may be seen during migration. Winter is spent in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks forage for insects, berries, and seeds in woods, parks, and backyards.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Song:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak nests are found on the limb of a low tree. Loosely-formed twigs, grass, and plants are used to make them. It takes two weeks to hatch roughly five eggs. The eggs are incubated alternately by both parents.
Sunflower seeds and peanuts are a good way to attract Rose-breasted Grosbeaks to your yard.
Fun Fact: The female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, unlike most songbirds, is also known to sing.
2. Black-headed Grosbeak
Male
Female
With orange breasts and halos, black-headed grosbeaks are huge birds with black wings and heads. The backs of females are brown, and their pale orange breasts have brown marks on them.
- Pheucticus melanocephalus
- Length: 7.1-7.5 in (18-19 cm)
- Weight: 1.2-1.7 oz (35-49 g)
- Wingspan: 12.6 in (32 cm)
During the winter, black-headed Grosbeaks move to Mexico from their breeding grounds west of the Rockies.
Black-headed Grosbeaks are often seen in backyards and may be found in environments with access to water. They can crush seeds and insects, such as snails and beetles, with their large bills.
Black-headed Grosbeak Song:
Twigs, pine needles, and other plant materials are used to make Black-headed Grosbeak nests. They’re loosely constructed and lined with softer materials, such as hair and stems. They lay two weeks of eggs, which take two weeks to develop and two weeks for the juveniles to escape the nest.
Sunflower seed feeders will attract black-headed grosbeaks to your yard. Oriole feeders will also be eaten by them.
Fun fact: Male Black-headed Grosbeaks sing while flying up and down from a perch, spreading their wings to show off their coloring while courting females.
3. Blue Grosbeak
Male
Female
With big bills, Blue Grosbeaks are medium-sized birds. Blue males with two brown wing stripes. Females have a brown body with blue highlights on it. Like the male, they have brown wing bars. Patchy blue-cinnamon feathers with brown wing bars cover juvenile men.
- Passerina caerulea
- Length: 5.9-6.3 in (15-16 cm)
- Weight: 0.9-1.1 oz (26-31 g)
- Wingspan: 11.0 in (28 cm)
Before heading to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, Blue Grosbeaks breed in southern US states and the Great Plains.
Blue Grosbeak can be found in shrubby areas. Overgrown fields, wooded borders, and hedgerows are preferred over semi-open regions with farmed land.
Insects and seeds are the principal foods of blue grosbeaks. Caterpillars, praying mantises, grasshoppers, beetles, and bugs are among the insects they eat in the summer. Spiders and snails are also eaten. Seeds, weeds, and grass are also eaten by them. They mainly eat seeds throughout the winter.
Blue Grosbeak Song:
Blue Grosbeaks’ nests are located beneath shrubs and vines, at the foot of the ground. They’re constructed of twigs, weeds, leaves, and bark and range from ten to 20 feet above the ground. Snakeskin, paper, fine grass, and animal hair are used to line the inside. They lay five eggs, which take ten days to hatch. The juvenile birds will leave the nest in another ten days.
Grain and seeds will attract blue grosbeaks to your yard.
Fun fact: Blue Grosbeak breeding pairs may cover a 20-acre area and defend it.
Male
Female
Evening Grosbeaks are stocky birds with large bills and a bright yellow and black pattern. The stripe over the eyes of adult males is bright yellow, making them appear fierce. Their chests and bellies are yellow, and their heads are black with a gray neck. Their wings have a white patch as well.
Greenish bills, gray bodies, black and white wings, and a yellow hue to the neck distinguish females and juvenile males.
- Hesperiphona vespertina
- Length: 16 to 22 cm (6.3 to 8.7 in)
- Weight: 38.7 to 86.1 g (1.37 to 3.04 oz)
- Wingspan: 30 to 36 cm (12 to 14 in)
Evening Grosbeaks may be found from southern Canada to northern California throughout the year. Cones, on the other hand, will migrate south to most US states when cone crops are poor.
Evening Grosbeaks can be found in both forests and high places. During the winter, they’re often drawn to bird feeders in backyards, which is because it’s an simple food source.
Evening Grosbeaks feed on flower buds in the spring, insect larvae from the trees in the summer, and seeds, berries, and little fruit in the winter. They flock to house feeders or feast on seeds and berries.
Evening Grosbeak Song:
Evening Grosbeak nests are most often discovered in pine trees up to 100 feet above ground. Twigs, rootlets, grass, moss, and pine needles are used to construct the nests. The female usually deposits up to five eggs, which she incubates for two weeks until they hatch.
Sunflower seeds, berries, and maple buds are all good ways to attract Evening Grosbeaks to your yard during winter.
Fun fact: Evening Grosbeaks stay around to consume whatever remains behind because of their forceful bills, which can break seeds that other smaller birds cannot crack open.
5. Pine Grosbeak
Red birds with gray on the wings and tail, as well as two white wingbars, make up the male Pine Grosbeaks. The heads and rumps of females are dull orange. They’re bulkier and slower than other finches.
- Pinicola enucleator
- Length: 7.9-9.8 in (20-25 cm)
- Weight: 2.01 oz (57 g)
- Wingspan: 13.0 in (33 cm)
Most Pine Grosbeaks live in Canada, although you may see a few near the US border, in the high Rockies, and in California’s Sierra Nevada.
Pine Grosbeaks, which feed on seeds, fruit, and buds from pine, spruce, and fir trees, can be found in pine woods. In the summer, they may consume certain insects.
Pine Grosbeak Call:
On a low tree, Pine Grosbeak nests are often seen ten to twelve feet above the ground. Twigs, barks, weeds, moss, and lichen are used to make the nests, which contain two to five eggs. These eggs are incubated by the female for around two weeks before they emerge.
Black oil sunflower seed feeders or suet feeders can attract Pine Grosbeaks to your suburban yards.
Fun Fact: The name of the Pine Grosbeak is appropriate. Pinicola is Latin for “pine dweller,” and their scientific name is Pinicola.
6. Crimson-collared Grosbeak
The cardinal family includes the crimson-collared Grosbeaks, which are medium-sized birds. With its black hood and bright crimson, sometimes pinkish-red collar and shoulders, the male is remarkably striking. It has a black belly with little spots. The female has a greenish/yellowish body and a black hood.
- Rhodothraupis celaeno
- Length: 8.0 – 9.25 inches (20.2 – 23.5 cm)
- Weight: 2.1 oz (60g)
Northern Mexico is home to crimson-collard Grosbeaks, who may venture into southern Texas from time to time.
In humid or semi-dry wooded places, woodland borders, and thick, brushy clusters, you may discover Crimson-collared Grosbeaks.
Since the Crimson-collared Grosbeak hides itself amid thick foliage while foraging, it’s difficult to say exactly what it eats. Fruits and berries, as well as leaves and insects, are most likely eaten by it.
Crimson-collard Grosbeak Song:
Crimson-collared Grosbeak nests are generally built on a bush, shrub, or low tree and are made of grasses and twigs. They only produced three eggs, but little else is known about their offspring.
7. Yellow Grosbeak
The yellow grosbeaks, a cardinal family of birds with gray-black bills that seem too massive for their bodies, are medium-sized birds. The male has black wings with white markings on his head, chest, and belly. He is a bright, solid yellow.
The head and remainder of the body of females are more subdued in color, with gray wings with white tips.
- Pheucticus chrysopeplus
- Length: 8.5 – 9.4 inches (21.5 – 24 cm)
- Weight: 2.2 oz (62g)
On the Pacific side of Mexico and in southern US states, Yellow Grosbeaks live.
Yellow Grosbeaks feed on seeds, fruits, and berries in tropical woodlands, forests, and shade-coffee plantations. Insects are also a delicacy for them.
Yellow Grosbeak nests are frequently found in mid-level trees or thickets. Grass and sticks are used to make them, with delicate materials lining the inside. The female lays five eggs, which take two weeks to hatch.
By leaving sunflower seeds, apple slices, and peanut kernels in your bird feeders, you can attract Yellow Grosbeaks to your backdrop.