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Pine Grosbeak


Pine Grosbeak
Photo Information
Copyright: Mario Belanger (EOSF1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 100-400 F4-5.6 L IS USM, ISO 200, B+W 77 010 UV-Haze 1 x
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Joe's Favourites 3 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-11-28 12:57
Viewed: 1211
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
One of my favourite birds, the Pine Grosbeak from my archives.

From: www.birds.cornell.edu
One of the larger members of its family, the Pine Grosbeak is a bird of the boreal forests, found across northern Eurasia and North America, and south into the mountains of western Canada and the United States. A large, unwary finch, it makes periodic winter irruptions into southern Canada and northern United States. It is the largest and rarest of the "winter finches."
Cool Facts
The tameness and slow-moving behavior of the Pine Grosbeak gave rise to local name in Newfoundland of "mope."
Winter flocks may stay near a tree with abundant fruit until all of it is consumed.
Winter irruptions are infrequent and irregular. To see an illustration of the invasion of the winter 1997-98, based on data gathered through BirdSource's Winter Finch Survey, click here.
A breeding adult Pine Grosbeak develops pouches in the floor of its mouth for carrying food to its young.
During most of the year, 99% of diet is vegetable matter, especially buds, seeds, and fruits of spruce, pine, juniper, elm, maple, mountain ash, apple, and crabapple. It feeds insects and spiders to its young, though, often mixed with plant foods. It drinks water or eats snow daily.
Description
topSize: 20-25 cm (8-10 in)
Wingspan: 33 cm (13 in)
Large finch; medium-sized songbird.
Plump, heavy-chested.
Dark wings with two white wingbars.
Large stubby curved bill.
Male red.
Blackish-brown tail and wings.
Tail long and slightly forked.
Eyes black.
Bill dark.
Legs dark.
Sex Differences
Sexually dimorphic: Male with rosy-red head, chest and back, rest gray; females with yellow-olive where male has red.
Male
Pinkish-red head, breast, back and rump. Streaked back. White undertail coverts. Blackish brown wings and tail. White wingbars and tertial edges.
Female
Yellowish olive head and rump. Gray underparts and back. Blackish brown wings and tail. White wingbars and tertial edges.
Immature
Immature male usually is indistinguishable from immature or adult female until the second year when it molts and grows new reddish feathers. Some young males have some red or orange feathers in the body plumage, which females apparently lack. Females average duller than males (especially on the crown and rump) and have a lighter russet tinge to the head or lighter olive tinge to the breast than males. The color of the head and body is often golden orange or reddish bronze in males, in contrast to golden yellow of the female, and the chin is often buffier or more brown-gray than in the female.
Sound
Song is a sequence of clear, warbling, flute-like notes. Flight calls vary geographically, but can sound like "tee-tee-tew," resembling calls of Greater Yellowlegs.
Range
Breeds in subarctic and subalpine coniferous forests of North America and Eurasia.
Winter Range
Winters mainly in breeding range, but may go farther south irregularly to southern Canada and northern United States.
Habitat
Breeds in open coniferous forests.
Wintering areas determined by food availability, so found in wider variety of habitats, including urban areas.
Found in flocks in winter; strongly territorial in breeding season. Distinctive call note often given in flight.
Conservation Status
Status largely unknown because of difficulty of assessing populations.
Other Names
Durbec des sapins (French)
Camachuelo picogrueso (Spanish)
siggi, nglen, eqshannon, jconceicao, Hamurkaroglu, boreocypriensis, CeltickRanger, maurydv, angela926, jaycee, cataclysta, eng55, NinaM, fiyo, Evelynn has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1376 W: 56 N: 4736] (16296)
  • [2008-11-28 13:02]

Hello Mario,
Magnificent image of this beautiful species. The details and colors you captured in the excellent composition are superb, thanks .
Regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2909 W: 34 N: 8636] (32186)
  • [2008-11-28 13:02]

Hi mario. At first i thought you have had some snow but i see its from Febuary. This little bird stands out from the white of the snow . You have good detail and bright colours. well done TFS.
Nick..

Have a nice weekend.

Another of my absolute favorites Mario. The red goes so well with snow..not just white but with snow and the perch. Perfection in technique.
Bob

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2392 W: 94 N: 5536] (17620)
  • [2008-11-28 13:18]

Hello Mario,
I can't get enough of this wonderful photos from your archive of last winter. The beautiful clear and contrasting colours are amazing. Great sharpness and an excellent composition and POV.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Mario,


Superb photo.
Nice colours with excellent details.
Light and definition are splendid.

Hello Mario,
Beautiful. TFS.
Mehmet

salut Mario

superbe image du Durbec des sapins avec un excellent POV
et cadrage, belle pose de l'oiseau, belle luminosité,
excellente netteté et détails du beau plumage, TFS

Asbed

Hi My friend Mario,
A lovely and excellent shot of this colourfull and cute pine grosbeak in a fine diagonal composition. Great details on its plummages as usual.
TFS and have a nice weekend!
Cheers,

Bayram

Ciao Mario,
le tue fotografie di Ciuffolotto delle pinete sono una più bella dell'altra, è un uccello molto bello e molto "fotogenico" per gli splendidi colori, ma tu presenti sempre dei piccoli capolavori.
TFS.
Maurizio

Hi Mario,
What a beautiful capture of this Pine Grosbeak with very good composition and POV, warm natural colours and sharp details.
TFS
Pekka

Hello Mario,
Great capture, beautiful colors, superb sharpness, excellent depth of field, lovely oof background and very nice details in the plummage.
Thanks
Angela

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-11-28 17:47]

Hi Mario,

A beautiful Pine Grosbeak from last winter - I'm looking forward to seeing more in 2009. A wonderful picture of this bird I know only from pictures. His colors are marvelous and the details of his face and plummage are superb. I love the winter setting of the pine branches and snow.

Jane

  • Great 
  • nagraj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 567 W: 94 N: 1194] (4876)
  • [2008-11-28 21:41]

hi Mario,
just beautiful, good composition and great colors. very pretty and healthy bird in its natural habitat. well done. tfs.
nagraj.v

Hi Mario
It looks like a cristmas gift ;-) or like Santaclouse ;-) Red bird on a winter background. Perfect sharpness, great POV nice contrast
I like it very much
TFS
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2262 W: 10 N: 2630] (15567)
  • [2008-11-29 0:54]

Hola MArio,
maravillosa captura y fino pov,
perfecto foco y color...
saludos

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 545 W: 0 N: 735] (3213)
  • [2008-11-29 1:13]

Hi Mario
very nice colors and sharp
well done.

Hi Mario, wonderful diagonal composition with lovely little bird in the snow, splendid colors of plumage, fine details and excellent sharpness, perfect focus and lovely blurry BG, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1139 W: 32 N: 1164] (3582)
  • [2008-11-29 6:35]

Hi Mario,
Very nice capture.Details on plumage,colors,POV,catchlight in eyes and composition are wonderful.
Thanks for posting.

Hi Mario,
this one is the perfect one for a christmas-card, I love this colour and those wonderful pose so much. What a delight to look at it, thanks so much, bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 801 W: 3 N: 2100] (6596)
  • [2008-11-29 7:12]

La lumière de cette photo est limpide comme du cristal, tout comme la lumière d'hiver. Ton exposition doit être parfaite! C'est magnifique et l'oiseau l'est d'autant plus. Merci!

Francine la Grip, la Grip, la Grip, la Grippette!

hello mario,
excellent image of Pine Grosbeak, the colours are lovely and the details of the plumage looks great, well composed shot,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • Dan Gold Star Critiquer [C: 113 W: 0 N: 2] (18)
  • [2008-11-29 9:45]

Hi Mario, excelent shot, what colours and details! Perfect job !
Congratulation,
Dan

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2008-11-29 10:23]

Hello Mario,
Amazing shot and wonderful colours and the details, sharpness and lighting are excellent. TFS

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2008-11-29 10:42]

Hi Mario,
Outstanding shot of this very beautiful Pine Grosbeak with such lovely colours and details on its plumage. Very neat and sharp image and you have captured a fabulous pose in this chilly conditions. Excellent DOF, POV and composition.
TFS.
Sumon

Bonjour Mario,
Une couleur rouge absolument fantastique, un cadrage et un piqué parfait, bravo!
Bonne journée
Gilles

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2008-11-30 10:24]

Hi Mario,
this is one of your best ever!
The colours are brilliant!
Very, very sharp with immense detail.
Superb use of flash.

Exceptionally well done!
Joe

Yours and mine too!! ...favorite birds that is. They are so beautiful! I love the diagonal and the superb sharpness. Nice work.

TFS
Evelynn ; )

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