The Pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) is one of the largest species in the true finch family. It is found in northern Eurasia and North America. The scientific name of this species roughly translates to "the bird that lives in the pines and shells the seeds".
Di
DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
Fr
FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
He
HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Ov
OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Ar
ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Al
AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Mo
MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
Fl
FlockingFlocking birds are those that tend to gather to forage or travel collectively. Avian flocks are typically associated with migration. Flocking also ...
So
SocialMi
MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
P
starts withAdult Pine grosbeaks have a long forked black tail, black wings with white wing bars, and a large bill. Adult males have a rose-red head, back, and rump. They also have black wings and tail, with a conical beak. Adult females are olive-yellow on the head and rump and grey on the back and underparts. Young birds have less contrasting plumage overall, appearing shaggy when they molt their colored head plumage.
Pine grosbeaks are found across Alaska, the western mountains of the United States, Canada, and in subarctic Fennoscandia and across the Palearctic to Siberia. They either remain resident near their breeding grounds or migrate relatively short distances to the southern extent of boreal forests. During irruptive years, more travel to southern boreal forests, and some move further south. In such years in the New World, they can occur well south of their typical winter distribution, which is the northern Great Lakes region and northern New England in the United States. These birds prefer to breed in boreal forests, but when not breeding they also occur in lowland and lower montane coniferous forests, mixed deciduous forests and other woodlands, edges of cultivated areas such as orchards, parks, and suburban gardens.
Pine grosbeaks are diurnal birds spending most of the time in search of food. They forage on the ground or in trees and bushes and outside of the nesting season, they often feed in flocks. Their voice is geographically variable, and includes a whistled ‘pui pui pui’ or ‘chii-vli’. The song is a short musical warble.
Pine grosbeaks are herbivores (granivores, frugivores). Their diet mainly includes seeds, buds, berries, and fruits. In summer they may catch insects and spiders.
Pine grosbeaks are monogamous and form pairs. They are solitary nesters and males defend their territory by singing from treetops. Pine grosbeaks breed from May to July and produce one brood per year. They nest on a horizontal branch or in a fork of a conifer. The female builds a bulky open cup and lines it with softer grass, lichens, and moss. The female lays 3 to 4 eggs and incubates them for about 13-14 days while the male brings her food during this period. The chicks hatch naked with a few downy feathers. When breeding both parents develop gular pouches which they use to store seeds before feeding them to their young. The chicks fledge and leave the nest 14-20 days after hatching and remain dependent on their parents for 3 weeks more.
Pine grosbeaks are not threatened at present but they suffer from changes in their native habitat influenced by climate change.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Pine grosbeak is above 4,000,000 individuals. The national population estimates include less than 1,000 wintering individuals in China; around 100-10,000 breeding pairs in Japan and around 100-10,000 breeding pairs in Russia. The European population consists of 92,300-214,000 pairs, which equates to 185,000-428,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...