Synonyms: EVGR.
Evening Grosbeaks are a rare and irruptive winter visitor to Maryland from northern North America. The winters of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 were significant irruption seasons, with many reports coming in from around the state. The winter of 2020-2021 marked one of the biggest irruption years in recent memory, a 'superflight' of northern finches (Audubon, 2020). Such irruptions are often fueled by outbreaks of Spruce Budworm Moth during the Spring and Summer on northern nesting grounds, providing abundant caterpillars for Evening Grosbeaks and other northern finches, such as Pine Siskin, redpolls, Purple Finch, and Pine Grosbeak, to feed hungry young. The resulting high reproduction rates lead to heavy competition in the Fall for food resources, generally mast of conifer trees. Because mast production varies from year to year, a year of low mast production that occurs in the same year as a heavy spring outbreak of Spruce Budworm Moths may result in irruptions of large numbers of southbound, food-seeking finches in winter.
Evening Grosbeak numbers have plummeted since the early 1990s, and efforts to radio-track them to learn more about their migration patterns are underway.
"Massive head and bill, short tail, relatively short but pointed wings. White wing-patches always conspicuous" (Sibley, 2000).
Evening Grosbeaks are "usually seen in noisy flocks in treetops or at bird feeders" (Sibley, 2000). At feeders, sunflower seed is a favorite.
There are 150 records in the project database.
Evening Grosbeak in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. - Kyle Klotz.
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