340 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 237 pabt i 



PINICOLA ENUCLEATOR FLAMMULA Homeyer 



Kodiak Pine Grosbeak 



Habits 



Ridgway (1901) describes the pine grosbeak of Kodiak Island as 

 follows: "Similar to P. e. canadensis in length of wing, tail, and tarsus, 

 but with much larger, relatively longer, and more strongly hooked 

 bill; m shape and size of bill is in coloration more Hke P. e. enucleator, 

 but decidedly larger (except bill), the adult male with the red rather 

 brighter, especially on upper parts, the adult female and immature 

 male usually with much less of yellowish olive on breast and with 

 more of the same color on rump and upper tail coverts." 



Ralph B. WiUiams, of Juneau, writes to me of its status in south- 

 eastern Alaska as follows: "Winter migrant, scarce resident, occa- 

 sionally nesting in the Hudsonian Zone of the mainland north of Juneau 

 and away from tlie beaches and inlets. These birds are most often 

 encountered, however, during December and February. The first 

 seen on January 12, 1947, was a small flight of 14 individuals, equally 

 divided as to sex. They were feeding on the fruit of the European 

 mountain ash. This tree was introduced into this section a number 

 of years ago and now has become established as a 'native', being 

 found from sea level to above timberline. Its adaption and spread 

 has been made possible by robins, waxwings, and grosbeaks feeding 

 on the fruit throughout the town then repairing to spruce and hemlock 

 stands in the forest surrounding the town to roost. Many seedhngs 

 of the European mountain ash can be found near these roosts. High 

 and low bush cranberries also provide food for the grosbeaks while 

 on migration through this area of southeastern Alaska." 



He also comments that the flight is undulatory, wings closed on the 

 dip, and at a distance the birds cannot be distinguished from Bo- 

 hemian waxwings, which they resemble in flight to a remarkable 

 degree. Perched amid scarlet clusters of ash berries, the birds con- 

 verse in soft notes. Now and then they utter a loud, mellow two- or 

 three-syllable whistle, which is most frequently heard in flight and 

 appears to prevent the separation of the flock. Occasionally one or 

 two birds will sit on lower branches, a few feet from one's head, and 

 feed in unconcerned fashion. 



In 1948 the birds arrived on November 27. The first flocks were 

 mainly females or immatures. A few days before Christmas the 

 flocks became more conspicuous as the number of males in brilliant 

 plumage increased, with many J^oung males just beginning to show 

 traces of rose-red coloration about their heads and rumps. As time 

 passed and the ash berries were consumed, the grosbeaks turned their 



