Evening Grosbeak
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Coccothraustes
Species: vespertinus
**Audio Below**
Description
-
Length: 8"
-
Wing span: 14"
-
Weight: 2.1 oz (60 grams)
-
Large black, white and yellow finch
-
Large stocky yellowish bill
-
Male and female plumages are distinctly different
-
Males: Large black head with bright yellow eyebrow, dark yellow back and belly, black wings with large white secondaries and a bright yellow bill
-
Females: Large grey head with dark lores, greenish nape and back, grey chest and belly, black and white wings and a dull yellow bill **Females: last four photos to the right
Factoids:
- Even though it is a Grosbeak it is more closely related to a house finch than any other Grosbeak species.
- Large and brightly colored, the Evening Grosbeak is a noticeable winter visitor to bird feeders during irruption years. When a flock settles down to feed, it can clean out a surprisingly large amount of sunflower seeds in a short time
- Winter irruptions occur frequently throughout their range
- A female Evening Grosbeak collided with a small airplane in Colorado at 1.9 km (6,200 ft) above ground, (3.8 km (12,468 ft) above sea level). Whether this high altitude is unusual for this species is unknown
- Evening Grosbeaks appear not to have a well developed song used in the normal functions of mate attraction and territory defense
All photographs and audio clips are ©Jamie Mullin 2006
Sources: Cornell Lab of Ornithology & The Sibley Guide to Birds.
 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |