Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianusOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Cardinals and Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae)

Codes: Common Name: RBGR Scientific Name: PHELUD ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179139

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Overview

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Large finch, black head, back, bright red breast, and white rump, sides, belly. The wings are black with white patches above and red, white, black below. Long, slightly notched black tail with white patches. Eats seeds, caterpillars, insects, tree flowers, fruits and berries.

Range and Habitat

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Breeds from northeastern British Columbia, southern Manitoba, and Nova Scotia south to southern Alberta, central North Dakota, central Oklahoma, and New Jersey, and in the mountains as far south as northern Georgia; also a regular visitor on the west coast and winters from central Mexico through Central America and into northern South America. Preferred habitats include moist woodlands adjacent to open fields with tall shrubs and old, overgrown orchards.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

Squeaky, abrasive call that sounds like eek.

Interesting Facts

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak will mate with the Black-headed Grosbeak where the population densities of both species are low.

The name “grosbeak” is from the French word grosbec and means “large beak.”

Unlike most songbird species, the female is known to sing.

A group of grosbeaks are collectively known as "a gross of grosbeaks."

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

● Song: Squeaky, abrasive call that sounds like eek.

● Foraging & Feeding: Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Diet consists of fruits, seeds, and insects. Forages on the ground; also hovers when gleaning from foliage.

● Breeding & nesting: Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Three to five light green or blue eggs with red brown markings are laid in a loosely made nest of twigs, grass, and plant fibers, and set in a low tree branch. Incubation ranges from 13 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Female Black-headed Grosbeak has a buff breast and streaks confined to the sides.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Breeds from northeastern British Columbia, southern Manitoba, and Nova Scotia south to southern Alberta, central North Dakota, central Oklahoma, and New Jersey, and in the mountains as far south as northern Georgia; also a regular visitor on the west coast and winters from central Mexico through Central America and into northern South America. Preferred habitats include moist woodlands adjacent to open fields with tall shrubs and old, overgrown orchards.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight1.6 Ounces

Perching-like Body

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Rump

The area between the uppertail coverts and the back of the bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America