Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)

The Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) is a lovely little bird which lives in North America. Although other Grosbeak species are found in Europe and Asia, the Evening Grosbeak is uniquely American. Originally the range of this sweet little finch was the Canadian Rockies, but today it is seen in Labrador and Newfoundland. Join us as we discover more about these wonderful birds.

Evening Grosbeaks are plump finches measuring about 7-8 inches in length. Most notable is their brilliantly adapted conical bill, relatively large for such a small bird. Male Evening Grosbeaks are an amazing yellow color with a gold band around the forehead which stands out. Feathers around the crown and neck are a glossy brown. Jet black feathers adorn the wings and tail of the male and white patches decorate the shoulder. Female Grosbeaks are much less striking. Their body feathers are a pale gray with yellow on the nape, rump and sides. Like the male, the wings and tail are black but have white patches. In the winter months the thick bill of the Evening Grosbeak is bone colored whilst in spring it transforms into a green color like that of newly showing deciduous buds. This provides ideal camoflage as it hides in the trees. Its little head resembles a young balsam cone. When in flight, the Evening Grosbeak can be spotted by its undulating flight pattern and rapid wing-beats. The little birds are very noisy and have an extensive call vocabulary.

Evening Grosbeaks prefer coniferous forest but will also reside in mixed deciduous localities. As seed-eaters, Evening Grosbeaks dine on the seeds of cones from pine, spruce and balsam fir. They will also feast on deciduous plant seeds. Whilst feeding, the Grosbeak is adept at shearing husks from seeds. Carefully maneuvering the seed into the correct position they are able to munch on the tasty inner contents of the seed. Evening Grosbeaks have also been known to feed on budworms in their various life stages and are thus a great asset in pest reduction. These lively birds will often frequent bird feeders, devouring sunflower seeds.

Not much information is known about the Evening Grosbeak’s breeding habits. Nests are constructed out of twigs, grass, moss and so forth. About 3 to 4 green, splotched eggs are laid in breeding season. Be sure to look out for this cute little creature when bird watching.