The California Pine Grosbeak 



No. 25 



California Pine Grosbeak 



A. 0. U. No. 515b. Pinicola enucleator californica Price. 



Synonym. — Pine Bullfinch. 



Description. — Adult male: In highest plumage, foreparts, breast, back (cen- 

 trally), and rump, rosy red (jasper to pompeian red); back with faintly darker centers 

 of feathers; lower belly and under tail-coverts ashy gray (light mouse-gray) — this 

 high plumage is the exception. In general, the rosy gives place to ash}' gray in vary- 

 ing proportions; wings and tail ashy dusk}-; tips of middle and greater coverts and outer 

 edges of exposed secondaries, white. Bill dusky; feet blackish. Adult female: Similar 

 to male, but rosy replaced by dingy yellow (varying from olive-yellow and olive- 

 tawny to ochraceous) and chiefly confined to head, hind-neck, and upper tail-coverts 

 (where brightest) ; feathers of back frequently tipped with ochraceous, and breast 



Taken in Mono County 



Photo by the Author 



NESTING HAUNT OF CALIFORNIA PINE GROSBEAKS 



BIRDS SEEN HERE MARK THE SOUTHERNMOST EXTENSION OF RANGE 



with an ochrey wash. Immature birds: Exactly like adult female, save that males 

 sometimes show bricky red on head and rump. Length about 218.4 (8.60); wing 

 1 13.5 (4.46); tail 100 (3.94); bill 14.7 (.58); depth at base 10.2 (.40); tarsus 22.3 (.88). 

 Recognition Marks. — Towhee size; large, rounded, conical beak; red and gray 

 coloration, for size, distinctive. 



