Rose-breasted grosbeaks are a great example of a sexually dimorphic species — the males and females look quite different.
Shown above is Mr. Grosbeak in his black, white and rose-colored finery.
Below is his mate, Mrs. Grosbeak, in subdued brown and white. Her colors camouflage her at the nest but make her look like a large house finch.
You can tell she’s a grosbeak by her big white eyebrow and the large (“gros”) beak which matches her mate’s in size and shape.
How nice that this pair cooperated by striking the same pose at Marcy’s feeder.
(photos by Marcy Cunkelman)
I have 3 sets coming to my d ck this year, usually only 1, so they must be nesting nearby, they are so lovely and the female is also due to her markings. They seem to not obey the pecking order at the food bowl, they are not intimiated by the large dove or the cardinal. They are the ones I really enjoy because our deck is on the 2nf floor so the feeders are on the deck itself close to our door & they look in at us. It is just a beautiful way to start a morning. They came very late last evening too, even later than the cardinals do.
Another field mark that I think is helpful is the complete eye-ring on the female grosbeak.
I just saw a pair at my feeder this morning – beautiful!
Love how they are in the same pose – well-trained! 😉
They started coming to the feeders last year with their babies, teaching them how to eat from this feeder…they have to reach up under the top of the feeder and get the seeds…so now they don’t seem to mind me looking out the front door with the camera…couldn’t believe they were the same pose, but they have ME well trained….sometimes I get lucky with the photos…like yesterday when I looked out and had a MOURNING Warbler out the living room window…(only the 4th time I have ever seen one…first time here so this is the #162 bird for the yard…exciting day!!!) Happy Mother’s Day to all…