The Black-headed Grosbeak is the western counterpart of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak and hybridizes with it where their ranges meet in the Great Plains. The male has a black head and cinnamon-orange body, the female's heavy bill and pale supercilium distinguishing her from other large finches. It is one of very few migratory birds that regularly eats monarch butterflies, apparently tolerating the toxic cardenolides.
Best time to see a Black-headed Grosbeak
The best time to see a Black-headed Grosbeak is April–June, when about 73% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 24,880 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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