Subject: Grosbeak with a white-striped head?
Date: Jun 2 09:04:23 2000
From: Jacki Bricker - seaotter at eskimo.com



Quick question:

There is a bird at my feeder right now, that I would swear was a female
black-headed Grosbeak. Same size, browner wings, buffy-to-orange color
under the chin and on the breast. Under the wings is a bit of brown
spotting on top of a much paler orange/buffy color. Around the back of the
head down at the neck, the orange color wraps around. There is some white
on the wings, but I don't see any defined wing bars, per se. The bill is
DEFINITELY shaped like a grosbeak, and, if I might be so bold, eats like
one. This guy/gal is spilling seed all over the place. What a mess! ;-)

Here's the thing: This bird has a white stripe across the center of the
crown (the crown is more brown than black), and has white under the crown
that sort of wraps around under the chin.

Is this a female, or juvenile BHG? My ID books do not show a striped crown
in any of the photos. Can someone help?

Thanks!
-Jacki Bricker
Woodinville, Washington