Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
- GenusPheucticus (Pheucticus Grosbeaks)
- SpeciesPheucticus ludovicianus (Rose-breasted Grosbeak)
About the Rose-breasted Grosbeak
The rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), colloquially called "cut-throat" due to its coloration, is a large, seed-eating grosbeak in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). It is primarily a foliage gleaner. Males have black heads, wings, backs, and tails, and a bright rose colored patch on their white breast. Males and females exhibit marked sexual dimorphism.
Breeding habitat consists of cool-temperate open deciduous woods throughout much of eastern North America, with migration to tropical America in winter. Rose-breasted grosbeaks have an average maximum lifespan of 7.3 years in the wild, and up to 24 years in captivity. Death in the wild is generally due to collision with objects (buildings, cars, etc.) and predation, to eggs, nestlings and adults.
In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the rose-breasted grosbeak in his Ornithologie based on a specimen collected in Louisiana. He used the French name Le gros-bec de la Louisiane and the Latin Coccothraustes Ludoviciana. Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Elk Island National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Elk Island National Park
Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Yellow Warbler
Setophaga petechia
Red-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceus
Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Elk Island National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Rose-breasted Grosbeak sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 171 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Elk Island National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Elk Island National Park in our monthly data.