Pine Grosbeak
Pinicola enucleator
The Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) is a common finches, euphonias, and alli found in 20 countries, weighing about 56 g. The pine grosbeak is a large member of the true finch family, Fringillidae.
About the Pine Grosbeak
The pine grosbeak is a large member of the true finch family, Fringillidae. It is the only species in the genus Pinicola. It is found in coniferous woods across Alaska, the western mountains of the United States, Canada, and in subarctic Fennoscandia and across the Palearctic to Siberia. The species is a frugivore, especially in winter, favoring small fruits, such as rowans. With fruit-crop abundance varying from year to year, pine grosbeak is one of many subarctic-resident bird species that exhibit irruptive behavior. In irruption years, individuals can move long distances in search of suitable food supplies, bringing them farther south and/or downslope than is typical of years with large…
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How to identify it
This species is one of the largest species in the true finch family. It measures from 20 to 25.5 cm (7.9 to 10.0 in) in length and weighs from 52 to 78 g (1.8 to 2.8 oz), with an average mass of 56.4 g (1.99 oz). The pine grosbeak's wingspan is 13.0 in (33 cm). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 10.2 to 11.6 cm (4.0 to 4.6 in), the tail is 7.8 to 9.5 cm (3.1 to 3.7 in), the bill is 1.4 to 1.65 cm (0.55 to 0.65 in) and the tarsus is 1.9 to 2.3 cm (0.75 to 0.91 in). Adults have a long forked black tail, black wings with white wing bars and a large bill.
What the Pine Grosbeak sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Netherlands, Czechia, Poland, Ukraine.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Watch the Pine Grosbeak on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Pine Grosbeak?
- This species is one of the largest species in the true finch family. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pine Grosbeak?
- The Pine Grosbeak is a small sized bird weighing about 56 g.
- Where can you see a Pine Grosbeak?
- The Pine Grosbeak occurs in 20 countries, including Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
- What does a Pine Grosbeak sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Pine Grosbeak on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Pine Grosbeak?
- The Pine Grosbeak is most easily confused with the Cassin's Finch, the Common Rosefinch and the Two-barred Crossbill.
- Is the Pine Grosbeak endangered?
- The Pine Grosbeak is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pine Grosbeak for real
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