Pinicola enucleator
male
The Pine Grosbeak is a plump, stubby-billed songbird. The sexes are dissimilar. Adult males are pinkish red overall, variably flushed gray on the flanks and belly. The tail is dark and the dark wings show two white wingbars. Adult females show a suggestion of the male’s plumage pattern, but are gray overall with a variably yellowish head, back, and rump. Juveniles are brown overall with two pale wingbars; by their first year they are similar to an adult female.
The Pine Grosbeak is a northern specialist that is present year-round throughout much of northern North America and in western mountains. In the breeding season its range expands north; in winter, birds are often forced to move south. Outside the breeding season it is sometimes seen in small flocks.
female
male
FACT FILE
LENGTH 9 in (23 cm)
FOOD Mainly shoots, buds, and seeds
HABITAT Conifer forests
STATUS Widespread and fairly common resident and partial migrant
VOICE Song is a series of whistling pwee phrases. Call is a whistled piew
