172 



This is only an irregular winter wanderer in eastern Canada. Some- 

 times years will pass without the bird being seen and then suddenly it 

 appears everywhere. The causes of these irregular appearances have 

 not been definitely determined. Whether the birds are driven from 

 their usual winter ranges by lack of food or are attracted to others by an 

 unusual abundance cannot be stated. Food is probably the determining 

 factor. 



Economic Status. The Evening Grosbeak, coming only in winter, 

 can do very little harm. Its favourite food is the seed of the Manitoba 

 maple left hanging on the trees, or the fruit of the mountain ash or 

 rowan trees. The fact that the Manitoba maple has in recent years 

 been planted extensively in all parts of Canada may affect the migration 

 habits of this bird. Almost any dried winter fruit is taken and it delights 

 to remove the seeds from old rotten apples left hanging through the 

 winter. The charge that it damages trees by picking off the buds may 

 contain an element of truth, but cannot be seriously considered as a 

 source of appreciable damage. 



Genus Pinicola. Grosbeaks. 



515. Pine Grosbeak. FK. LE GROS-BEC DBS PINS. Pinicola, enucleator. L, 9-08. 

 Plate XXVIII B. 



Distinctions. From descriptions, the females of the Pine and Evening Grosbeaks 

 might possibly be confused as they both may be grey overwashed with yellow; but the yellow 

 in the Pine Grosbeak is stronger, especially on head and rump, rather rusty instead of 

 Clear lemon, and is superimposed on the body colour instead of seeming to show vaguely 

 through. The dark bill of the species also is diagnostic. 



Field Marks. Size, dark Grosbeak bill, and general red of adult males. The majority 

 of the birds which visit Canada are in the dull female plumage, hence the general effect 

 is that of a flock of large, dull slate-coloured birds warming to yellow on head and rump 

 in favourable lights, accompanied by an occasional red individual. The ordinary notes 

 are ridiculously email and thin for so large a bird, though it also has a clear, loud whistle. 



Nesting. In coniferous trees; in nest of twigs and rootlets. 



Distribution. As a species, confined to the northern parts of the northern hemi- 

 sphere. The Canadian Pine Grosbeak breeds in the coniferous forest of the north, west 

 to Mackenzie river, migrating to settled sections only in winter. 



SUBSPECIES. There are several subspecies in Canada, the eastern form, the 

 Canadian Pine Grosbeak P. e. leucura, being the only one which comes within the scope 

 of this work. 



These are irregular winter visitors from the north. Their presence 

 with us can rarely be anticipated, though they may occur any winter 

 almost anywhere in eastern Canada. They are frequenters of coniferous 

 trees, but are fond of mountain ash or rowan-berries and the fruit of 

 the sumach. 



Economic Status. As the Pine Grosbeak spends the summer in the 

 northern woods and visits settled sections only in winter, the damage 

 it can do is reduced to a minimum. It eats wild and waste fruit left 

 hanging on the trees so that its economic effect is too slight to be appre- 

 ciable. It has been accused of destroying fruit buds, but the damage it 

 thus does, if any, is very slight. There is every humanitarian reason for 

 protecting the species and no serious charge can be brought against it. 



