General

Yellow Grosbeak: Large finch, yellow overall with black streaks on back. Bill is large and triangular with black upper mandible and gray lower mandible. Black wings have two white bars and black tail coverts have bold white tips.

Range and Habitat

Yellow Grosbeak: Native of western Mexico; sometimes visits southeastern Arizona during the summer, where it frequents riparian areas and canyons.

Breeding and Nesting

Yellow Grosbeak: Two to five gray-and-brown flecked, light green or blue eggs are laid in a nest made of sticks and grass, lined with finer materials, and built in a bush or tree at mid-level. Incubation ranges from 11 to 12 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Yellow Grosbeak: Eats mainly seeds, but also insects, berries, and fruits. Forages low to high in trees and at times on the ground.

Readily Eats

Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit

Vocalization

Yellow Grosbeak: Song is a trilled, melodic "chee-er, weer-wee-ah", with back-and-forth robin-like phrases, similar to a Black-headed Grosbeak. Call is metallic nasal "ieek."

Similar Species

Yellow Grosbeak: Flame-colored Tanager is smaller with slender, pointed bill, and yellow-green underparts.