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Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
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uses bird feeders
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FIELD MARKS
The Evening Grosbeak has a particularly large, conical bill, from which
it gets its name. The male has a yellow forehead and black on the top
of his head. The rest of his head is brown and he has yellow stripes over
his eyes. His upper back is brownish-olive, changing to bright yellow
at the lower end as well as his underparts. He has a short black tail
and black wings with large white patches. The female has grey upperparts
with greenish-yellow on the back of her neck. Her throat and belly are
whitish and her wings and tail are black. Approximate length: 18 cm
FOOD
This grosbeak can often be seen in flocks, eagerly eating sunflower seeds
from bird feeders. Its large bill allows it to easily crack hard seeds.
Besides seeds and berries, it also eats some insects.
HABITAT
The Evening Grosbeak prefers to live in coniferous or mixed forests during
the breeding season. In the winter it can also be found in deciduous woodlands
and semi-open country.
NESTING
Nests are usually built on a horizontal branch or in a vertical fork of
a tree. They are made of twigs, lined with fine grass, moss and pine needles.
The female lays 3-4 pale blue or blue-green eggs with brown, grey and
purple spots.
STATUS
Stable.
DISTRIBUTION
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