Evening Grosbeak - Gros-bec errant
I know the male of the species is the primary objective for photographers, but the female is especially, if subtly, beautiful. There are two aspects of the female’s plumage that are distinctive and really lovely: the two black lines descending from the bottom of its bill, which frame a soft white patch; and the yellow back collar.
The Evening Grosbeak’s bill is really different, changing colour seasonally. It lightens in the fall-to-winter period, and then becomes greener toward spring. It never really loses the greenish tint, which I think is among its most distinctive features.
As the bird’s French name indicates, the Evening Grosbeak does not follow a true migratory path from year to year, but ‘wanders’ to find available cone crops. It was originally found in the foothills of the Rockies, and has since spread east and south. Scientists have used modern tracking techniques to get a clearer sense of their travels, but ‘wandering’ remains an accurate description in times of climate change.
That wandering has of necessity intensified, as its other main food source, spruce budworm larvae, has been targeted by pesticide spraying programs that have all but eradicated the pest.
The arrival of a flock of Evening Grosbeaks is always a test of one’s reflexes, as they squabble over perches and push for food. This bird touched down very briefly, low and close, and I was as ready as I can be. The background is cluttered by the weedy shrubs and young trees that are another visit’s perches, so I never mind them.
Evening Grosbeak - Gros-bec errant
I know the male of the species is the primary objective for photographers, but the female is especially, if subtly, beautiful. There are two aspects of the female’s plumage that are distinctive and really lovely: the two black lines descending from the bottom of its bill, which frame a soft white patch; and the yellow back collar.
The Evening Grosbeak’s bill is really different, changing colour seasonally. It lightens in the fall-to-winter period, and then becomes greener toward spring. It never really loses the greenish tint, which I think is among its most distinctive features.
As the bird’s French name indicates, the Evening Grosbeak does not follow a true migratory path from year to year, but ‘wanders’ to find available cone crops. It was originally found in the foothills of the Rockies, and has since spread east and south. Scientists have used modern tracking techniques to get a clearer sense of their travels, but ‘wandering’ remains an accurate description in times of climate change.
That wandering has of necessity intensified, as its other main food source, spruce budworm larvae, has been targeted by pesticide spraying programs that have all but eradicated the pest.
The arrival of a flock of Evening Grosbeaks is always a test of one’s reflexes, as they squabble over perches and push for food. This bird touched down very briefly, low and close, and I was as ready as I can be. The background is cluttered by the weedy shrubs and young trees that are another visit’s perches, so I never mind them.