Go West to See Black-Headed Grosbeaks

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Male and Female Black-Headed Grosbeak

A male has a black head, brownish-orange underparts and bicolored bill, a black and white tail and white wing patches. The female is brown with a striped head, back and sides. Check out the 5 grosbeaks backyard birders should know.

Facts About Black-Headed Grosbeaks

Scientific Name: Pheucticus melanocephalus
Family: Cardinal
Length: 8 inches
Wingspan: 12-1/2 inches

Courtesy Mark Schmitt

Nest and Eggs

Located in the dense outer foliage of a tree or shrub, the nest is built of natural materials and hair and holds two to five green or blue spotted eggs. Learn about 8 different kinds of bird nests and how to spot them.

What Do Black-Headed Grosbeaks Eat?

Once a rarity at feeders, they’re becoming more and more frequent visitors. They’ll eagerly eat sunflower seeds, as well as insects, seeds and berries from bushes and trees.

Black-Headed Grosbeak Song

This bird makes a hurried, whistled, warbling song, like a nervous robin. They are melodic warblers within their nesting ranges or along their spring migration routes.

Bird songs provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Learn about the top songbirds in America.

Black-Headed Grosbeak Habitat and Range

Yards with loads of trees attract these birds. This species prefers open oak woods, riversides, canyons and is found primarily in the western half of the United States during summer. In the Great Plains, this species overlaps with the rose-breasted grosbeak.

Range maps provided by Kaufman Field Guides, the official field guide of Birds & Blooms.