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DESCRIPTION |
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It has a large conical pinkish-white
bill. The male has a black head, orange collar, breast
and underparts while the female with her black head has
white eyebrows and buff underparts. The immature bird
resembles the adult female. |
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GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE & HABITAT |
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The black-headed grosbeak is found as
far east as North Dakota and Nebraska and as far south
as Mexico where it winters. It prefers open woodlands
near water streams and lakes and swampy areas with trees
and shrubs like willows. |
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FOOD HABITS & DIET |
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It eats mostly insects and spiders,
and some seeds and fruit. Its large beak allows it to
crack seeds readily. |
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SOCIAL STRUCTURE |
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The female is very aggressive in defending
nest against other Grosbeaks. Young may recognize parents'
songs. |
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REPRODUCTION |
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The female lays 2 to 5 greenish eggs,
spotted red or brown which are incubated by both parents.
There is one brood each season and fledging occurs in
11 to 12 days. |
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NESTING |
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The nest is an open-cup type built within
3 or 4 days and lined with rootlets, grasses, leaves,
twigs, barks, and conifer needles. It is usually located
in dense foliage on an outer limb of a tall shrub or deciduous
tree, for example the willow, 4 to 12 feet above the ground. |
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CONSERVATION |
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It is not endangered and is useful to
the farmer by consuming harmful insects. |
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INTERESTING FACTS |
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It sometimes interbreeds with the more
eastern-inhabiting rose-breasted grosbeak because their
ranges now overlap. The treeless prairies had once been
effective barriers between the species but then human
settlements populated these treeless lands, providing
suitable habitats for both species. |
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