Black-headed Grosbeak

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

Codes: Common Name: BHGR Scientific Name: PHEMEL ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179140

Head

Topo Map: Perching-like Head

Bill Shape: Cone
Eye Color: Varies from brown, to brownish green, to olive-brown.
Head Pattern: Eyeline, Special (unique patterns or features)
Crown Color: Black
Forehead Color: Black
Nape Color: Black
Throat Color: Black and rust-brown.
Cere color: No Data

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Body

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Length Range: 18-22 cm (7-8.5 in)
Weight: 43 g (1.5 oz)
Size: Size 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
Color: Orange, White, Black, Yellow
Underparts: Rust-brown
Upperparts: Black with some white and brown on the wings.
Back Pattern: Striped or streaked
Belly Pattern: Solid
Breast Pattern: Solid

Flight

Topo Map: Perching-like Flight

Flight Pattern: Short flights wih rapid wing beats.
Wingspan Range: 30-33 cm (12-13 in)
Wing Shape: Rounded-Wings
Tail Shape: Fan-shaped Tail
Tail Pattern: Solid
Upper Tail: Black
Under Tail: Gray-black
Leg Color: Black

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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.

Black-headed Grosbeak

Black-headed Grosbeak: Large, stocky finch, black-streaked, orange-brown back, black head, wings, tail. Breast is orange-brown and belly is yellow. Wings have conspicuous white patches. Black legs, feet.Forages on ground and in trees and bushes. Eats insects, caterpillars, seeds, fruits and berries.

● Song: "plik"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black-headed Grosbeak: Diet consists of seeds, insects, berries, and fruits; forages in trees, bushes, and on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Black-headed Grosbeak: Three to four light blue or green eggs with red brown spots are laid in a loosely built stick nest lined with rootlets, grass, and leaves, and built among dense foliage on an outer tree limb. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Black-headed Grosbeak: Rose-breasted Grosbeak has heavier streaked white to buff underparts and darker upperparts.

Flight Pattern

Short flights wih rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Black-headed Grosbeak: Breeds from southwestern Canada east to western North Dakota and Nebraska, and south to the mountains of Mexico. Spends winters in Mexico. Preferred habitats include open, deciduous woodlands near water, such as river bottoms, lakeshores, and swampy places with a mixture of trees and shrubs.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight1.5 Ounces

Perching-like Head

Perching-like Body

Perching-like Flight

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