At this time of year I receive a lot of phone calls from people who have seen a “new” bird at their feeder. The most common “new” birds are described as
(1) A beautiful, robin-sized bird with a black back, white undersides and a brilliant red throat.
(2) A large dark, streaky brown bird like a sparrow but maybe twice the size and with a larger beak bigger
Despite the widely contrasting descriptions, these are both the same species – Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
The male is a gorgeously striking bird. I still remember the first one I ever saw as a young boy at the Skokie Lagoons just north of Chicago. It was the first bird I ever saw that wasn’t a robin or a sparrow. It was sitting in the open on a phone wire in full sunlight. I can still picture it.
The female looks completely different, like a big sparrow. Grosbeaks pass thru Westchester on spring migration. If you should see one, I hope it is the male. You won’t forget it.
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