Black-headed Grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
- GenusPheucticus (Pheucticus Grosbeaks)
- SpeciesPheucticus melanocephalus (Black-headed Grosbeak)
About the Black-headed Grosbeak
The black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) is a medium-sized, seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the rose-breasted grosbeak (P. ludovicianus) with which it hybridizes on the American Great Plains.
The 19 cm (7.5 in) long, 47 g (1.7 oz) black-headed grosbeak is a migratory bird, with nesting grounds from southwestern British Columbia, through the western half of the United States, into central Mexico. It occurs as a vagrant further south in Central America.
Measurements: Length: 7.1–7.5 in (18–19 cm) Weight: 1.2–1.7 oz (34–48 g) Wingspan: 12.6 inches (32 cm) The black-headed grosbeak is similar in size to a common starling. As per its name, the male has a black head, and black wings and tail with prominent white patches. Its breast is dark to tawny orange in color, and its belly is yellow. The female has a brown head, neck, and back with sparrow-like black streaks. She also has white streaks down the middle of her head, over her eyes, and on her cheeks. Her breast is white, and wings and tail are grayish-brown with two white wing bars and yellowish wing edges.
The black-headed grosbeak... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Pyrrhuloxia
Cardinalis sinuatus
Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Lazuli Bunting
Passerina amoena
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Varied Bunting
Passerina versicolor
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Painted Bunting
Passerina ciris
Hepatic Tanager
Piranga flava
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-headed Grosbeak in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-headed Grosbeak sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 2,602 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-headed Grosbeak in Saguaro National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Black-headed Grosbeak in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.