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The rose-breasted grosbeak is a stocky, medium-sized song bird with a large triangular-shaped bill. In breeding plumage the male has a black head, upperparts, and tail with a white patch on the rump. The breast is white with a brilliant red chevron in the centre, and the wings are black with pink underneath.
Females are brown with darker streaking and have a broad white supercilium over the eye. They are yellow under the wings.
Out of breeding plumage males have mainly white underparts, supercilium and cheeks.
Rose-breasted grosbeaks spend most of their time in the tops of trees and are often heard before they are seen.
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Rose-breasted grosbeaks use their stout bills to forage in shrubs and trees for insects, fruit, and seeds. They are frequent visitors to back gardens and are especially attracted to sunflower seeds.
Rose-breasted grosbeaks breed throughout Canada and the north eastern United States. They spend the winter in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
They are found in deciduous forests and woodland, as well as parks and gardens.
3 Responses
Seen one this afternoon on neighbours TV Ariel looked around as it was singing and different to the normal garden birds.
Just seen one here on the wirral, North West UK. March 4th 2026.
My cat just brought me one of these today. I’m near Thirsk
Luckily he hadn’t killed it and after holding it on my hand for a minute out of the window he flew off. I’m very never seen such a pretty little bird