Rose breasted grosbeak

[Ybone]

Has anyone seen one of these in the winter. We've had one at the feeder the last 2 days. According to my book they spend winters in Mexico.

[Steve Foss]

That's a highly unusual winter sighting. Way cool! Please contact your closest Audubon Society chapter so it can be documented. If you know someone with a camera who can come and take photos, that's a darn good idea, too. Where in Crow Wing County?

[Ybone]

Northern Crow Wing Co., Whitefish Lake area. Unfortunatly I found the bird dead yesterday morning. I guess it couldn't handle the single digit temps although it somehow survived the below zero temps in December. I brought the bird to the DNR nongame office in Brainerd. They were very surprised. It was a young male rose breasted grosbeak.

[Dotch]

That's sad Ybone. Look forward to seeing those guys and gals on or slightly before Mothers Day in these parts on their way through to those of you in the north. Thanks for sharing.

[EsaysFISHON]

I'm surprised to hear that it is so rare. Back in the late 70's/early 80's our family had a cabin on a small lake between Motley & Pillager. Grandpa always had plenty of black sunflower seeds in the feeder right outside the living room window and the Rosebreasted Grosebeaks were regular visitors to the feeder all winter long, the males were even bold enough to confront the pesky blue jays when challenged.

[Ybone]

You're probably thinking of evening grosbeaks or pine grosbeaks. The pine grosbeaks have a lot of red on them from what I remember, I haven't seen them for a few years. The rose breasted migrates to Mexico and Central America in September.