May 15, 2014 | Featured Web Article

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Welcome Backyard Visitor

A medium-sized songbird with a large, seed-crushing bill, the rose-breasted grosbeak spends the breeding season in deciduous woods across the northern portions of North America. It winters in the Neotropics.

If you live in eastern North America, now is a great time to be watching for rose-breasted grosbeaks in your backyard. These colorful, cardinal-sized songbirds pass through backyards across the southeastern United States en route to their breeding grounds farther north. They spend the winters in the Neotropics and fly across the Gulf of Mexico each spring to breed.

If you live in the northern portions of North America, you may be lucky enough to host rose-breasted grosbeaks throughout the summer. These birds prefer mature deciduous forests for breeding. Learn to recognize the male's warbling, robin-like song »

Here is a video of a few rose-breasted grosbeaks chowing down at a feeding station in southern West Virginia in early May 2014. Grosbeaks eat black-oil and striped sunflower seeds at feeders.

Two male (center and far right) and one female (far left) rose-breasted grosbeaks at a backyard bird feeder in West Virginia.

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The Latest Comments

Re: Ask Birdsquatch: Feeder Hogs » Watching Backyard Birds.com

that is a nice fix, I have the same issue and my titmice will not return! I don't want these bullies but I want to keep woodpeckers and the ruffed titmice.

by Candoll, Sat, 13 Jun 2020
Re: 8 Common Bird-feeding Myths Debunked » Watching Backyard Birds.com

That doesn't address my concern about the bird houses. I'm on a tiny piece of property (40x100) so there's not much room to plant a heck of a lot or places birds could put nests once the bird houses are gone.

by Linda DiPierro, Mon, 25 May 2020
Re: 8 Common Bird-feeding Myths Debunked » Watching Backyard Birds.com

Plant some native plants in your yard that will attract pollinators and produce berries and nuts. There should be a local society that has a list of recommended plants, shrubs, and trees.

by Ladylanita, Mon, 25 May 2020
Re: 8 Common Bird-feeding Myths Debunked » Watching Backyard Birds.com

Same concerns here. See above post. For your situation I would consider planting a few native plants that will naturally produce berries and seeds that the birds in your area need to survive. Try planting some that will yield foods for all seasons.

by Ladylanita, Mon, 25 May 2020
Re: 8 Common Bird-feeding Myths Debunked » Watching Backyard Birds.com

I've thought about this myself. One thing I considered doing is leaving behind some bird food and a gift card to my local wild bird store with a note asking the new homeowners to please continue feeding the birds. Don't know how well that work but it's worth a try.

by Ladylanita, Mon, 25 May 2020

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Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Welcome Backyard Visitor

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