# Rose-breasted Grosbeak (*Pheucticus ludovicianus*) The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a colorful bird with a bright pink chest and black wings. They love to sing beautiful songs and can often be seen in gardens and forests. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 53 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Rose-breasted Blackbird ![Rose-breasted Grosbeak](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pheucticus_ludovicianus_CT2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pheucticus_ludovicianus_CT2.jpg) ## Appearance The Rose-breasted Grosbeak male has a striking black head and back, with a triangular rose-red patch on a white breast. Females and immatures are streaky brown with a strong supercilium, and both sexes show a flash of yellow under their wings in flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cardinalidae - **Genus:** Pheucticus ## Interesting facts - Females have a unique yellow flash under their wings when flying! - Males sing beautiful songs even while incubating eggs on the nest! - Their thick beak can crush cherry pits with surprising strength! - They fly thousands of kilometers between continents each year! ## Special abilities - **Seed Crushing Beak:** Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have a powerful, conical beak that helps them crack open tough seeds and fruit pits with ease. - **Toxic Snack Immunity:** Rose-breasted Grosbeaks can eat Monarch butterflies, which are toxic to many birds, because of special adaptations. - **Nocturnal Navigator:** Rose-breasted Grosbeaks can migrate thousands of kilometers by flying mostly at night, using celestial cues to guide them. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-20 cm - **Wingspan:** 29-33 cm - **Weight:** 0.035-0.049 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-10 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding These birds enjoy a varied diet of insects, seeds, and fruits, helping control garden pests. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Caterpillars, Black Cherry seeds, Monarch Butterflies, Raspberries, Sunflower seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Eastern Tent Caterpillar (*Malacosoma americanum*) — Feeds on these common forest pests. - **Eats:** [Black Cherry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-cherry) (*Prunus serotina*) — Crushes and consumes seeds and pulp from its fruits. - **Eats:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — One of few birds able to eat toxic Monarchs. - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A common avian predator of smaller songbirds. ## 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. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [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. - [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. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## 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 them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Rose-breasted 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 Rose-breasted Grosbeak? 18-20 cm ### What is Rose-breasted Grosbeak's wingspan? 29-33 cm ### How much does Rose-breasted Grosbeak weigh? 0.035-0.049 kg ### How long does Rose-breasted Grosbeak live? 3-10 years ### How fast can Rose-breasted Grosbeak move? 50 km/h ### What does Rose-breasted Grosbeak eat? These birds enjoy a varied diet of insects, seeds, and fruits, helping control garden pests. ### Where is Rose-breasted Grosbeak usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Barrington Civic Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrington-civic-center-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Charlestown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlestown-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord-monument-square-lexington-road-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Convent and Academy of the Visitation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/convent-and-academy-of-the-visitation) — Alabama, US · Campus [View all places to see Rose-breasted Grosbeak](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/rose-breasted-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: [Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rose-breasted-grosbeak)