Pine Grosbeak    Pinicola enucleator

Migratory Status: Short-distance migrant

PIF Population Estimate: 2 000 000

Percent of western hemisphere population breeding in boreal forest: 88%

BAM Effective Detection Radius (m) : 83.48

PIF Maximum Detection Distance (m) : 125

Canadian BBS Population trend: 1.5 n.s. (-1.7 to 4.7)

Life History

The Pine Grosbeak is the largest member of the finch family in North America. Tame and unwary, Pine Grosbeaks are remarkably approachable. Small flocks are infrequent winter visitors to much of North America, except for the southeast. Pine Grosbeaks are gregarious and form close-knit winter flocks of 5 to 10 birds that appear so sociable and affectionate, they are suggestive of a family group. Southern movements in winter are less irruptive than with other winter finch species and are driven by the search for winter food sources. Sunbathing is highly ritualized among flocks; individual birds gather on the ground in sunlit areas, tilt their heads back, open their bills and spread their wings and tails, apparently to maximize exposure to the sun.

The Pine Grosbeak breeds in the boreal forest and taiga zones across most of northern Canada, including: throughout Newfoundland, Labrador and the maritime provinces, across the northern half of eastern Canada and into the northern parts of the prairie provinces, through the territories and into central Alaska. This species also breeds along the Pacific coast of Alaska and Haida Gwaii, and subalpine habitats in most of the western mountain ranges to north of the Mexican border. Throughout most of its range, Pine Grosbeaks nest in open coniferous forests that are dominated by spruce (Picea spp.).

Adult males are mostly rosy pink with some gray below and have a dark tail, bill, and wings with two white wing-bars. Females are mostly gray with dark wings and a yellowish to reddish bronze head, neck and rump. Immature males are usually indistinguishable from females. Across their range, Pine Grosbeaks vary considerably in body size, plumage color, and bill size and shape. In the western interior, males are mostly gray below, while birds from the Pacific coast are almost entirely deep pink in colour except for their dark wings and tail.

The male sings loudly from perches near the tops of trees in the nest stand. The song is a series of clear, flute-like, modulating warbles, “fillip-illy-dilly-didalidoo”, that closely resembles the song of the Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus), but typically with richer tones. The male also sings softly while feeding near the female, also known as “whisper songs”. Males probably sing throughout the year; females sing occasionally. Both sexes call frequently during flight, a distinctive “tee-tee-tew”.

Reference(s)

Adkisson, C. S. 1999. Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator), The Birds of North America Online, . A. Poole, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/456