Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
These birds winter in southern Mexico and south into northwestern South America. When spring comes, they migrate north to breed in territories with broad-leaf deciduous woodlands that stretch from New England and southeast Canada and west through the Great Lakes and northwest through southern Manitoba, central Saskatchewan, most of Alberta, a little in northeastern British Columbia and somewhat in south central Northwest Territories.
Many bird lovers consider the song of these birds to be the finest in the world and liken it to a robin with opera training! I’m more familiar with its western cousin, the Black-Headed Grosbeak, with whom it shares many traits (beauty of song, for one).
I first met this species in 2005, while driving through Canada on my way to Alaska, but I wasn’t able to capture its image. It wasn’t until early June 2015 that I got my first photo of a vagrant female bird at Malheur NWR in Oregon. Finally, in March 2020, I met them as they migrated through south Texas on their way to their breeding grounds. During the 2021 spring migration on South Padre Island, I had the pleasure of meeting more of these gorgeous birds.
Modern taxonomists regard the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak as monotypic (i.e. there are no subspecies).
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Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
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Description: Not normally found at this location, this bird was observed at the Malheur NWR Headquarters in eastern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:02 18:36 |
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Location:
Visitor Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X7039-RoseBreastedGrosbeak-Female |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Until my 2020 Texas expedition, I’d only met a couple of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Texas was more generous to me. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 10:05 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D500365-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Until my 2020 Texas expedition, I’d only met a couple of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Texas was more generous to me. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 10:06 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D500375-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Until my 2020 Texas expedition, I’d only met a couple of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Texas was more generous to me. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 16:00 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D501121-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Until my 2020 Texas expedition, I’d only met a couple of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Texas was more generous to me. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 16:04 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D501133-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Until my 2020 Texas expedition, I’d only met a couple of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Texas was more generous to me. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 16:14 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 400 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D501163-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Until my 2020 Texas expedition, I’d only met a couple of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks. Texas was more generous to me. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 16:15 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D501187-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
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Description: This meeting with the immature male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak came as a welcome surprise to me. On my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas I intended to pick up images of some of the birds I missed on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds and I stayed all day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:24 11:42 |
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Location:
Atascosa NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D506544-Atascosa-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: This meeting with the immature male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak came as a welcome surprise to me. On my third visit to Atascosa NWR in South Texas I intended to pick up images of some of the birds I missed on my second visit. But then I started meeting new birds and I stayed all day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:24 11:42 |
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Location:
Atascosa NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D506583-Atascosa-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Most of the Red-Winged Blackbirds on site were male. This female almost seemed out of place. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 11:08 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X5660-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Most of the Red-Winged Blackbirds on site were male. This female almost seemed out of place. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 11:08 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X5630-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Most of the Red-Winged Blackbirds on site were male. This female almost seemed out of place. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 11:08 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X5621-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Male Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks can be “show-stoppers” when seen, but it is the reputation for singing that many folks find the most joy in. Bird activity on Tuesday’s visit to South Padre Island was slightly less hectic than it was on the weekend, but it gave me some great bird encounters, including two birds brand new to me. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:20 11:05 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3000 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X9369SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Male Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks can be “show-stoppers” when seen, but it is the reputation for singing that many folks find the most joy in. Bird activity on Tuesday’s visit to South Padre Island was slightly less hectic than it was on the weekend, but it gave me some great bird encounters, including two birds brand new to me. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:20 19:14 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3000 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X0636SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
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Description: Grosbeaks showed up in big numbers. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 15:37 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/350 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X8501-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Within the flood of warblers were grosbeak arrivals. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 15:09 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X7467-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Grosbeaks showed up in big numbers. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 15:13 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X8358-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Grosbeaks showed up in big numbers. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 15:33 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X8484-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Grosbeaks showed up in big numbers. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 15:33 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X8473-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Within the flood of warblers were grosbeak arrivals. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 15:08 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X7459-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: Grosbeaks showed up in big numbers. Sunday was the 2nd day of the great warbler fallout, but unlike Saturday’s expedition, the sun shone through to light her subjects. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:18 14:54 |
|
Location:
Convention Center |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X8266-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(Pheucticus ludovicianus) |
|
Description: We hadn’t seen male grosbeaks for some time, but the females seemed to still be on the move north. Tuesday night’s winds at South Padre Island (Texas) did not produce the big warbler fallout we hoped for at the Convention Center. Still, there were several birding surprises in store for those of us who showed up to find birds. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:06 13:20 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: RoseBreastedGrosbeak_D5X6795_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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