May 10 Rose Breasted Grosbeak

This is one of my favorite northwoods summertime visitors, the rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus). They are 8 inches long with a monster beak used for breaking seeds open. This is the male, with a rosy patch in front and white stripes on black wings. His song is comparable to a robin that has taken singing lessons. It's more melodious, consistent, and longer. The female is neither black nor red, but a deep brown in back, also with white wing stripes, and short brown streaks on a white chest. You can tell a female red-breasted grosbeak from a finch or sparrow by the huge beak and a prominent white stripe over the eye. Looks like these will breed throughout Wisconsin, so a few should be settling in around Madison to see over the summer months.