Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak [ventral view of adult male]. Photograph Credit: Stephen J. Stedman; Lakeland Dr., Putnam County, Tennessee; 24 April 2018.

—

Abundance: Fairly Common during spring and fall; Rare during summer; recorded in all Regional counties during migration but recorded as a breeder in only 2 counties (Cumberland and Morgan counties, Tennessee) (Map of UCR Distribution); Transient population in Region probably stable, while the small Summer Resident population appears also to be stable, but data on this matter are far from robust (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Transient during spring and fall in all counties; Summer Resident in Cumberland and Morgan counties, Tennessee; photograph [ventral view of adult male] (B. Hazard; Cumberland County, Tennessee; 12 April 2007).

Regional High Count: 78 (5 May 1984; Macedonia Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee; Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Stedman 1993; Stedman 2006–2012); FBC/FBB High Count: 60 (30 September 2006; Macon County, Tennessee [FBB]; m. ob.); SBC/SBB High Count: 51 (9 May 1998; Putnam County, Tennessee [SBC]; m. ob.).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Spring: x (

    Fall: x (

    Note: Spring arrival generally widespread by 20 April, while spring departure usually complete by 15 May; fall arrival typically widespread by 20 September, while fall departure generally complete by 15 October. Regional dates of earliest reported spring arrival and latest reported spring departure, as well as earliest reported fall arrival and latest reported fall departure, for the migration seasons 2002–2011 follow:

* Probably an injured bird.

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent). 

Habitat: x

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 20 (of 125 possible) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 40 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, leading to YardWatch frequency classifications of Uncommon and Fairly Common, respectively; the former classification indicated that this grosbeak was a bit less likely to be encountered in Regional yards and neighborhoods than in the Region as a whole, while the latter classification coincided well with the overall Regional abundance classification for this species.

Foray Results: A summary of data from UCR Forays follows (to view a map displaying foray data for a county or a sub-Region for this species, click on the name of an underlined county or state below):

* Because some foray blocks fall into two or three counties, the total of blocks in the Kentucky or Tennessee portions of the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the counties of each portion of the Region; similarly, because some blocks fall into both states, the total of blocks for the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the two states.

Remarks: The Regional High Count (above) was obtained by counting individuals attracted to seed dispersed in a single yard.  This grosbeak has adapted well to the presence of feeding stations with many birds being reported at them during the periods of the spring and fall migration.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited