Pine grosbeak

Female pine grosbeak in profile showing white wing bars and an orange rump in falling snow, Manitoba

The pine grosbeak is a large, plump finch with a thick, short bill and two bold white wing bars. Males are washed in rosy red, while females and young birds, shown here, are grey with an orange-gold wash on the head and rump.

Pine grosbeaks breed in northern spruce and fir forests and move south in winter, sometimes in large numbers, to feed on buds, seeds, and the fruit of crabapple and mountain ash. They are famously tame and often let people approach closely. In Manitoba they are mainly a winter visitor.

I love the soft rosy-red wash on a male pine grosbeak, and how calm and unbothered it looks while it feeds.

Curious about the pine grosbeak and its habitat? Learn more on its page at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • Female pine grosbeak in profile showing white wing bars and an orange rump in falling snow, Manitoba
  • Female pine grosbeak with an orange-gold head perched on a snowy aspen branch, Manitoba
  • Female pine grosbeak facing the camera on an aspen branch with its tail fanned, Manitoba
  • Male pine grosbeak with rosy red plumage perched on a frost-covered pine branch, Manitoba

Pine grosbeak Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the pine grosbeak in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the pine grosbeak nests and spends the winter, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the pine grosbeak in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Taiga Shield and the Southern Arctic (gold) and wintering in the Boreal Shield, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (blue). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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