A large, distinctive finch, the evening grosbeak is one of most highly anticipated winter visitors in irruption years. While their movements can be unpredictable, they are always welcome at backyard bird feeders, though a large flock with a hearty appetite can quickly drain feeders.

Common Name:

Evening Grosbeak

Scientific Name:

Coccothraustes vespertinus

Scientific Family:

Fringillidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Large, conical, white or greenish-yellow color

• Size: 8-8.5 inches long with 13.5-inch wingspan, short tail, large head, stocky build
• Colors: Yellow, white, black, brown, gray, buff
• Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a brown-black head with a thick yellow eyebrow and forehead. The upper back is brown-gray and the rest of the upperparts are bright yellow, including the rump. Wings are black with a large white patch. Underparts are yellow-brown. Tail is black with a deep notch. Females are more gray-buff overall with a yellow wash on the nape, back and flanks and a grayish-white chin and throat. The wings are black with the same white patch males have, but more white spots along the edges. Uppertail coverts are black with thick white tips, and the notched tail is also black with a thick white tip. On both genders, eyes are dark and the legs and feet are pale. Juveniles look similar to females but are more brownish overall and have a brown-gray bill.

Foods:

Insect larvae, sap, seeds, buds, fruit, nuts (See: Omnivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These birds prefer moderately dense coniferous or mixed coniferous and deciduous forests, though in winter they can also be found in parks and suburbs, particularly if fruit-bearing trees are present.

The evening grosbeak's year-round range extends throughout the western mountains of North America from northern California through British Columbia, as well as across southern Canada. In the western United States, they are found year-round in mountain forests in Idaho, western regions of Wyoming, Montana and Colorado and south to northern New Mexico, eastern Arizona and into Mexico. In winter, these birds regularly range south as far as Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, though they can have winter irruptions that extend much further south depending on the availability of food supplies and overall population numbers.

Evening grosbeaks are occasionally recorded as vagrant birds in the United Kingdom and Norway.

Vocalizations:

These are noisy birds that have a high pitched, single call note that is a clear, sharp tone and may have an uneven warble. Unlike many passerines, evening grosbeaks do not have a well developed song, but the combined calls of a large flock can be boisterous.

Behavior:

These are gregarious birds that can be found in large flocks throughout the year, and nesting pairs can be found close together. Evening grosbeaks forage in treetops and the outer branches of large trees, and they fly in tight flocks with an undulating pattern of rapid wing beats interspersed with short glides with the wings held against the body. These can be tame birds and are often found at the side of winter roads feeding on grit and salt.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds. The female builds a shallow, cup-shaped nest of small twigs, moss, grass and pine needles lined with finer materials, often positioned high in a tree – up to 100 feet above the ground. Each pair will raise 1-2 broods per year, with 3-5 oval-shaped eggs per brood. Eggs are pale blue-green with brown, gray or purple spots typically concentrated at the larger end of the egg.

The female parent incubates the eggs for 11-14 days while the male brings her food. After hatching, both parents feed the altricial young for an additional 13-14 days.

Attracting Evening Grosbeaks:

These finches will readily visit backyard feeders offering black oil sunflower seed, particularly in winter when natural food sources are less available. Bird-friendly landscaping that includes maples, cherries and fruiting shrubs can also help attract evening grosbeaks, and they will visit heated bird baths in the winter. Offer an area of grit and salt can also attract these birds.

Conservation:

While the evening grosbeak is not endangered and is under no consistent threat, its population numbers have been declining in recent years. Preserving the appropriate forest habitat is essential to protect these birds, and awareness about the dangers of window collisions can help prevent evening grosbeak deaths at winter feeders. Drivers should also be cautious along roadways where evening grosbeaks may be feeding on the shoulder.

Similar Birds:

• Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
• Oriental Greenfinch (Carduelis sinica)
• American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
• Yellow Grosbeak (Peucticus chrysopeplus)

Photo – Evening Grosbeak – Male © Nick Saunders
Photo – Evening Grosbeak – Female © Steve Ryan