Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rose-breasted GrosbeakRose-breasted GrosbeakRose-breasted GrosbeakRose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
738 Verified sightings at Great Smoky Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026
18,540 Verified sightings across all 73 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardinalis cardinalis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Indigo Bunting
LC

Indigo Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina cyanea

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Scarlet Tanager
LC

Scarlet Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga olivacea

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Blue Grosbeak
LC

Blue Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina caerulea

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Western Tanager
LC

Western Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga ludoviciana

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Summer Tanager
LC

Summer Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga rubra

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Dickcissel
LC

Dickcissel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spiza americana

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Carolina Wren
LC

Carolina Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Carolina Chickadee
LC Endemic

Carolina Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile carolinensis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
American Robin
LC

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Tufted Titmouse
LC

Tufted Titmouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Baeolophus bicolor

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~50%
2 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
3 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
4 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~20%
5 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
6 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~20%
7 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
8 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
9 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
10 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
11 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
12 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
13 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
14 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
15 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
16 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
17 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
18 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
19 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
20 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
21 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
22 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
23 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
24 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
25 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
26 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
27 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
28 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
29 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
31 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
32 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
34 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
35 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
37 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
39 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
40 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
41 Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park 🇯🇲 Jamaica
<5%
42 Puracé National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
43 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
44 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
45 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
46 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
47 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
48 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
49 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
50 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
52 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
53 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
54 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
55 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
56 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
57 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
58 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
59 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
60 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
61 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
62 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
63 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
64 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
Insufficient data
65 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
66 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
67 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
68 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
69 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
Insufficient data
70 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
71 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
72 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
73 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rose-breasted Grosbeak sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 738 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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