Grosbeaks are back!

Black-headed grosbeaks visit a feeder in Southern California.  Photo by J.J. Meyer

Black-headed grosbeaks showed up this week! (The photo is weak, but you can get the idea of their beautiful coloring.) Grosbeaks breed in the spring and summer in the western United States and into the southern part of Canada.

The males are sometimes confused with spotted towhees, which also have a black head and bright orange body.  To tell them apart, look for the grosbeaks' large triangular bill, that gives them the name.  They use those large bills to crack seeds and often visit feeders.  To attract them, offer fresh black oil sunflower seeds. 

Happy birding!
J.J.