Fun Facts about Pine Grosbeaks
APPEARANCE:
Pine Grosbeaks are part of the finch family, although they are more plump and heavy chested
Their heads are round with a bill that is thick and conical, but shorter than other finch species.
Tails of the Pine Grosbeak are long, with a slight notch
The color pattern of the male Pine Grosbeak is reddish pink and gray
Interestingly, females and young Pine Grosbeaks are grayish in color tone with reddish orange tints or yellow on their heads and rumps
Both the males, females and the young have dark gray wings with two wing bars
Coloration varies from bird to bird and from region to region
SONG:
Males, and sometimes females sing using a clear flute like warble
Their "warble" song rises and falls for around 2-5 seconds
The song of the Pine Grosbeak is made of several notes that they change on occasion
Sometimes they imitate the songs of other birds
During mating season, males sing a warbling song
BEHAVIOR:
Pine Grosbeaks sluggishly hop from branch to branch, nipping off fresh buds and needles, as well as on the ground, grabbing fallen seeds
During the winter months, they form small groups that travel together, searching for seeds and fruits
Sometimes, during the winter, they move, or irrupt farther south in their search for food
RANGE/HABITAT:
The habitat of the Pine Grosbeak is open spruce, fir, and pine forests at higher elevations
Pine Grosbeaks can also be found in sub-alpine forests
During the winter, Pine Grosbeaks favor mountain ash, maple, and ash forests, where there are plentiful seeds
FOOD:
Almost the entire diet of the Pine Grosbeak is made up of buds, seeds, and fruits from spruce, pine, juniper, birch, mountain ash, maple, box elder, crab apple, blackberry, ragweed, and burdock
Although they are primarily vegetarian, they will catch insects and spider during the summer months
During the winter, Pine Grosbeaks will eat dirt and grit along the side of the road, in addition to their regular diet
They will also drink water or eat snow on a daily basis
NESTING:
Pine Grosbeaks breed in open spruce, fir and pine forests
They will often place their nest close to the trunk, so that it remains hidden in the dense vegetation
Nest placement is between six to 16 feet off the ground
The female will build a foundation of evergreen twigs that she weaves roots and small twigs into
The cup of the nest is made with rootlets, twigs, and grass that is lined with lichen, evergreen needles, soft grasses, and feathers
Nest size: 6-9" across, 3-4"deep on the outside, with an inner cup that is approximately 2.5-3" in diameter
Clutch size: 3-4 eggs
Incubation period: 13-14 days
Nestling period: 13-20 days
Egg Description: Pale blue with darker dots and markings
ATTRACTING PINE GROSBEAKS TO YOUR YARD:
During the winter months, Pine Grosbeaks will frequent feeders
Since they are larger, use a large tube feeder, platform feeder, or large hopper and fill it with black oil sunflower seeds or hulled sunflower seeds.
OTHER FUN PINE GROSBEAK FACTS:
The Pine Grosbeak eats a lot of plants; however, it is challenging for nestlings to digest the greens, so the adult will regurgitate a paste of insects and vegetables that they have stored in pouches located on either side of their tongues, at the lower part of their jaw
Pine Grosbeaks can be found from Asia to Scandinavia
The people of Newfoundland call Pine Grosbeaks a "mope", because of their slow moving behavior