The Japanese Grosbeak is a chunky finch of Japan and eastern Asia with a huge, bright-yellow bill and a black mask; it isn't found in the wild in the United States. In Japan its whistled song is so familiar that people put words to it.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A large finch, about 9 in (23 cm) long. Gray-brown body with a black cap and face mask, black wings and tail, and a white wing patch that flashes in flight. Males and females look alike; young birds are duller and lack the black head.
- Voice
- A short, hard "tak tak" in flight; the song is a set of four flute-like whistles, often the best clue that one is nearby.
Look-alikes
The Yellow-billed Grosbeak is smaller (about 7.5 in, 19 cm), and its yellow bill has a black tip. The male has a black head and face, while the female's head is dusky gray rather than black. Japanese Grosbeaks have a much heavier bill, and both sexes have black on the front of the head.
Why they get mixed upThey are close relatives with the same yellow bill and black-and-white wings, and share wintering areas in East Asia.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Deciduous and mixed forest
- Wooded parks and gardens
- Farm field edges in winter
- Range
- Breeds in Japan and in the Russian Far East and northeastern China, wintering south into China. Not found in North America.
- Preferred conditions
- Prefers deciduous or mixed woods, especially in valleys; in winter it also feeds at the edges of farmland.
Behavior
- Diet
- Mostly seeds, nuts, and berries; in summer it eats many insects, including caterpillars and beetles.
- Social life
- Usually in pairs or small flocks, often staying hidden high in the leaves.
Life cycle
- Nest
- In Japan, a cup-shaped nest set on a tree branch; several pairs often nest close to one another.
- Clutch size
- 3–4 eggs
- Incubation
- About 14 days
- Fledging
- About 14 days after hatching
Name and classification
- About the name
- There are two subspecies: the Japanese population (E. p. personata) and a slightly larger, paler mainland form (E. p. magnirostris) that migrates farther.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
More species to explore
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