Rate of Decline: 78 percent in 40 years
Global Population: 3.8 million
Continental Population: 3.8 million now, 17 million 40 years ago
Watch List Status: 
Appearance: Rotund, robin-sized, black-and-yellow songbird with black-and-white wings and a triangular yellow beak; females drabber than males; usually seen in flocks.
Vocalization: Loud
"peeer." Listen (© Lang Elliot, Nature Sound Studio).
Habitat: Breeds primarily in coniferous forests, secondarily in deciduous forests.
Range: Mountains of the western United States and Canada; boreal forest of Canada and northern edge of the United States east to Nova Scotia; disappearing in eastern portions of its range.
Feeding: Feeds on invertebrates, especially spruce budworm larvae, and small fruits and seeds, particularly from maple trees. In the non-breeding season, it feeds on both coniferous and deciduous tree seeds and buds, and it is a common visitor to birdfeeders stocked with sunflower seeds.
Reproduction: Breeding is very secretive, and there is no song or showy display during courtship. As is common with birds breeding at high altitudes, the Evening Grosbeak usually only lays one brood of 2-5 eggs per year due to the short nesting period. The most important consideration for a nest site is the abundance of spruce budworms. Although nests are spare and appear rather fragile, they are surprisingly strong and can last several years.
Conservation Issues & Efforts:
- Threats: Evening Grosbeaks are birds of boreal and montane forests and are therefore susceptible to all the incursions into those habitats: logging, mining, drilling, acid rain, and human development for transportation and housing. Chemical control of spruce budworm and other tree pests lowers this species’ food supply and may also cause secondary poisoning. Competition and the spread of disease among house finches, goldfinches, and other feeder birds may also be playing a role in the decline. Global warming is predicted to cause boreal drying and deforestation due to increases in insect populations and fire frequency.
- Outlook: The Evening Grosbeak teaches us how dramatic changes in bird populations can be. Virtually unknown East of the Mississippi until about 1850, it expanded East—peaking in the mid 1980s—then experienced precipitous declines. The Evening Grosbeak’s future will depend on maintaining healthy habitat in the boreal forest.
What Can You Do:
- Protect the Boreal Forest
Promote conservation of the Canadian boreal forest by supporting the Boreal Songbird Initiative that works to save Canadian boreal habitat for all birds, specifically by fighting inappropriate logging, mining, and drilling, and by promoting the designation of protected areas.
- Help Halt Global Warming
Back strong federal, state, and local legislation to cap greenhouse emissions, and spur alternative energy sources. Conserve energy at home and at work (http://www.audubon.org/globalWarming/BePartSolution.php).
- Monitor Feeders
If you see dead or diseased birds on or near your feeders, don’t put out food for two weeks to allow birds to disperse, and clean feeders before using them again.
For more Information:
References:
Gillihan, S.W. and B. Byers (2001). Evening Grosbeak (
Coccothraustes verspertinus).
The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Birds of North America, Inc. Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database:
http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/account/Evening_Grosbeak/
Kaufman, Kenn.
Guía de campo a las aves de Norteamérica. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.
