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Evening Grosbeak

Coccothraustes vespertinus ORDER: PASSERIFORMES FAMILY: FRINGILLIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Large and brightly colored, the Evening Grosbeak is a noticeable winter visitor to bird feeders during irruption years. When a flock settles down to feed, it can clean out a surprisingly large amount of sunflower seeds in a short time.

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Appearance

Finches
Finches
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Large, robust finch.
  • Tail relatively short.
  • Heavy conical bill pale greenish yellow.
  • Large white patch in wing obvious in flight.

Male Description

Brownish black head with black crown. Yellow forehead and eyestripe (supercillium). Wing, tail, and upper tail coverts black. Dark brown nape fading to yellow on back. Secondaries and coverts white, creating large square white patch on back of wing in flight. Dark brownish throat fades to brownish-yellow underparts, becoming brightest under tail. Legs pink.

Female Description

Head and upperparts mostly grayish brown. Weak dark malar stripe. Yellowish wash on sides of neck. Uppertail coverts black with white spotting. Wings and tail black with white and gray patches in wing. Throat and underparts pale grayish brown. White under tail.

Immature Description

Juveniles similar to female.

Range Map Help

Evening Grosbeak Range Map
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Field MarksHelp

  • Adult male
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    Evening Grosbeak

    Adult male
    • In most of U.S., most frequently seen in winter
    • Large, stocky finch with massive bill
    • Males mostly yellow with brown face and yellow eyebrow
    • Males have black wings with large white patch
    • © Vicki Blitz, Washington, May 2009
  • Adult female
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    Evening Grosbeak

    Adult female
    • Large, chunky-bodied finch
    • Massive, conical, pale bill
    • Gray-brown overall, with yellow collar
    • Black wings and tail patched with white
    • © Mary Fran, March 2009
  • Males (left), female (right)
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    Evening Grosbeak

    Males (left), female (right)
    • Often seen in large flocks at feeders
    • Large, stocky finch with massive, pale yellow bill
    • Males show striking black and white patches in wing
    • Females mostly gray with faint yellow collar
    • © M.L. Milne/PFW, January 2004
  • Adult female
    Zoom In

    Evening Grosbeak

    Adult female
    • Large, heavy-billed finch
    • Females mostly pale gray/tan with yellow collar
    • Black and white patches on wings and tail
    • © Bill Wynneck, February 2011
  • Adult male
    Zoom In

    Evening Grosbeak

    Adult male
    • Large, heavy-bodied finch
    • Massive, pale yellow bill
    • Western males more brown/dark olive overall
    • Bright yellow eyebrow
    • © Mike Wisnicki, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada, March 2010
  • Adult male
    Zoom In

    Evening Grosbeak

    Adult male
    • Large, stocky finch with heavy, conical bill
    • Eastern males mostly golden overall with darker brown head
    • Yellow eyebrow
    • Black wings with bold white patch
    • © Mike Wisnicki, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada, March 2009
  • Adult female
    Zoom In

    Evening Grosbeak

    Adult female
    • Large, chunky finch
    • Heavy, pale yellow bill
    • Females mostly pale gray/tan
    • Golden yellow patch on nape
    • © Raymond Lee, Tomahawk County, Alberta, Canada, February 2010

Similar Species

Similar Species

  • American Goldfinch much smaller, with small bill, and thin wingbars instead of large white patches in the wings.

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