A large plump finch — males rosy-red, females and immatures gray with yellow-olive wash. Slow and tame near humans — they often allow close approach.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The pine grosbeak is a large member of the true finch family, Fringillidae. It is the only species in the genus Pinicola. It is found in coniferous woods across Alaska, the western mountains of the United States, Canada, and in subarctic Fennoscandia and across the Palearctic to Siberia. The species is a frugivore, especially in winter, favoring small fruits, such as rowans. With fruit-crop abundance varying from year to year, pine grosbeak is one of many subarctic-resident bird species that exhibit irruptive behavior. In irruption years, individuals can move long distances in search of suitable food supplies, bringing them farther south and/or downslope than is typical of years with large fruit crops.
Source: Wikipedia — Pine grosbeak Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Large, plump, long-tailed finch with a stubby bill and two white wing bars; males rosy-red, females and immatures grayish with yellowish or russet heads and rumps.
Similar species. Other rosy finches are smaller; the Pine Grosbeak's large size, stubby bill, and unhurried manner are distinctive.
Voice. A soft, musical, warbling song; flight call a clear, whistled 'pui-pui-pui'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Seeds, insects, fruits.
Behavior. A large, tame finch of northern and montane spruce-fir forest; feeds slowly on buds, seeds, and fruit and wanders south in some winters in search of crabapples and mountain-ash.
§ Range
Boreal forests across northern North America
§ Habitat
Coniferous forests, especially with mountain ash and crabapple
§ Threats
Climate-driven boreal habitat shifts, food crop failures, oil-pipeline impacts.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the pine grosbeak is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant native mountain ash and crabapple. Support boreal forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Pine grosbeak
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Pinicola enucleator
- IUCN Red List — search for Pinicola enucleator
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Pinicola enucleator
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
