| What a surprise to have two male Rose-Breasted | | | | only visible in flight. The male and female birds bear |
| Grosbeak birds on our bird feeder in the month of | | | | little resemblance to each other. Except for the bill, |
| May. Then to our amazement we had three females | | | | they can be easily mistaken for two different |
| appear! These birds are neo-tropical migrants. They | | | | species. Both male and female birds are about the |
| spend the winter months in an area from central | | | | size of a starling. |
| Mexico to northern South America. In May, they | | | | The male bird is a proud and devout family man. He |
| return to the North American continent and take up | | | | helps build the nest of twigs and grasses usually in a |
| residence in the northeastern United States and | | | | small tree or bush five to fifty feet high. The nest |
| southern Canada. Their habitat is shrubbery, | | | | appears as a flimsy constructed saucer. He also takes |
| woodlands, and brushy stream areas adjacent to | | | | his turn incubating the eggs. The female Grosbeak |
| open fields. The male birds arrive before the females, | | | | lays three to five light green eggs with brown spots. |
| select a nesting territory, and begin singing to attract | | | | Incubation time for the eggs is thirteen to fourteen |
| a prospective mate. | | | | days. He sits on the nest from morning to afternoon, |
| As well as, the sunflower seeds from our bird | | | | while the female gets the night shift. After |
| feeders, a typical diet for these beautiful birds might | | | | hatching,the baby birds leave the nest in nine to |
| include seeds of elms, blossoms of hickory or beech | | | | twelve days. The male bird is so happy to be included |
| trees, buds of white ash, flowers and fruit. Insects of | | | | in the family chores that he even sings while on the |
| the forest such as gypsy moths and tent caterpillars | | | | bird nest. Both the male and female birds sing; their |
| are also table fare for Grosbeaks. The Grosbeaks | | | | songs very similar to a robin. Rose Breasted |
| savor crop damaging beetles, locusts, cut worms, | | | | Grosbeaks often sing from the treetops in their loud, |
| chinch bugs and other creepy crawlers. Because of | | | | clear song. It is richer and a more melodious version |
| this they are sometimes called the "potato bug bird". | | | | of the lengthly sing-song of the robin. The notes are |
| The Rose Breasted Grosbeak is of the finch species. | | | | sweeter and they have more slurred whistles. |
| The male has a black head, back, bright red breast | | | | The Rose Breasted Grosbeak is a favorite bird in |
| and white rump, sides and belly. The bird's wings are | | | | Mexico, Central and South America. Here the locals |
| black with white patches above and red, white and | | | | are fond of them and often capture them for pets. |
| black below. The bird in flight reveals startling pink-red | | | | We had not seen a Rose Breasted Grosbeak before |
| linings on the wings. These birds have a large, stout, | | | | and were so happy to have them come to our bird |
| pale pink-almost white, conical bill. They have a long | | | | feeders. They have already moved on for their flight |
| slightly notched black tail with white patches. | | | | to the northeastern states. We hope when the late |
| The female Grosbeak has a buff color breast with | | | | summer days start to become crisp, these beautiful |
| heavy brown streaks on the sides, making it seem | | | | birds will again visit our bird feeders on their way |
| almost drab compared to the male bird. The only | | | | south for the winter. |
| "showy" part of the female is her yellow wing linings, | | | | |