# Evening Grosbeak (*Hesperiphona vespertina*) The Evening Grosbeak is a colorful bird with bright yellow and black feathers. They love to eat seeds and can often be seen in trees, making cheerful sounds with their friends. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Evening Grosbeak](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Coccothraustes-vespertinus-001.jpg&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Mdf assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coccothraustes-vespertinus-001.jpg) ## Appearance The Evening Grosbeak has a large, pale, cone-shaped beak and a short tail. Males are strikingly bright yellow with a dark head, black wings marked with large white patches. Females are duller, mostly grayish-yellow, but share the distinctive bill shape. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Fringillidae - **Genus:** Hesperiphona ## Interesting facts - Sometimes, thousands of grosbeaks will suddenly appear in a new area to find food! - Their enormous beak can snap a cherry pit in half, just like a nutcracker! - These birds sing mostly during dawn and dusk, which is how they got their 'evening' name! - They love to eat spruce budworms and can help control outbreaks in forests. ## Special abilities - **Super Seed Cracker:** Evening Grosbeaks have a powerful, cone-shaped beak that helps them crush tough seeds like cherry pits. - **Forest Nomad:** Evening Grosbeaks can travel far and wide to find food because they follow tree seed crops across North America. - **Social Spotter:** Evening Grosbeaks can quickly find food sources because they often fly and feed in large, noisy flocks. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-22 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-36 cm - **Weight:** 0.055-0.07 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-7 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days ## Diet & Feeding They primarily feast on tree seeds and fruits, but also enjoy munching on insects in summer! - **Primary Foods:** Box Elder seeds, Sunflower seeds, Maple seeds, Spruce Budworm, Conifer seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A common predator of small birds, including grosbeaks. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Hunts grosbeaks, especially at night when they roost. - **Eats:** [Box Elder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/box-elder) (*Acer negundo*) — Its seeds are a favorite food, cracked by their strong beaks. - **Eats:** Spruce Budworm (*Choristoneura fumiferana*) — Grosbeaks consume large quantities during outbreaks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance, and don't try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Evening Grosbeak? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Evening Grosbeak? 18-22 cm ### What is Evening Grosbeak's wingspan? 30-36 cm ### How much does Evening Grosbeak weigh? 0.055-0.07 kg ### How long does Evening Grosbeak live? 5-7 years ### How fast can Evening Grosbeak move? 50 km/h ### What does Evening Grosbeak eat? They primarily feast on tree seeds and fruits, but also enjoy munching on insects in summer! ### Where is Evening Grosbeak usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Cripple Creek Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cripple-creek-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Orford Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/orford-street-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Redstone Coke Oven Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/redstone-coke-oven-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Staunton State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/staunton-state-park) — Colorado, US · State Park - [Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grizzly-and-wolf-discovery-center) — Montana, US · Zoo [View all places to see Evening Grosbeak](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/evening-grosbeak) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Evening Grosbeak: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/evening-grosbeak)