Photo Study Of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks At Peace Valley Park (Bucks County, PA), August 2011

    Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have been breeding at Peace Valley Park in New Britain, PA (Bucks County). A family of several adults and their
    offspring have been coming into the feeders regularly at the Nature Center. I was able to photograph many of them this past weekend and
    here are some of the photos:

Breeding Plumaged Adult Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Adult Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak

First Year Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Adult Male Feeds First Year Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Adult Female Feeds First Year Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Basic PlumagedAdult Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak With Adult Female On Feeder

Basic Plumaged Adult Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

First Year Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Alternate Plumaged Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Adult Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak
 
Adult Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak In Breeding Plumage

Adult Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak In Basic Plumage 

      The Rose-breasted Grosbeak  (Pheucticus ludovicianus) is a large seed-eating songbird in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). Adult birds are 7 to
    7.5 inches long and weigh about 1.7 ounces. At all ages, in both sexes, the beak is dusky horn colored, the feet blue-gray and the eyes dark yet the
    species exhibits distinct dimorphism. The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is boldly patterned in black, white, and rose, and easily identified.
    The less striking, striped female, however, can be more of a challenge, as it resembles a large sparrow or finch. It is a common bird of forests and
    second growth. Its song is like that of the American Robin, only as sung by an opera singer, being mellower and more sweetly melodic.
    The Rose-breasted Grosbeak's breeding habitat is open deciduous woods across most of Canada and northeastern United States. The first birds
    leave the breeding grounds as early as August, while the last ones do not return until mid to late May. In general, however, they migrate south in
    late September or October, and return in late April or early May. In particular, the northern birds migrate south through the United States east of
    the Rocky Mountains, to winter in central to southern Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to Peru and Venezuela. The southern
    limit of its wintering range is not well known. For example, it was first recorded seen in the Serrania de las Quinchas of Columbia in the 1990s. In
    winter, they prefer more open woodland, or similar habitat with a loose growth of trees, such as forest edges, parks, gardens and plantations
    ranging from sea level into the hills up to 5000 feet.  (Cornell BNA; Wikipedia; Sibley Guide To Birds)

    To see a larger image of any of the photos below, please click on either the thumbnail or the caption...thanks!

         © Howard B. Eskin 2011    Please email your comments to hbeskin@voicenet.com       Please click here to go back to Bird Webpage Index