During Winter small flocks of these tricolored birds leave the interior and appear in the eastern states. The impelling motive seems simply wanderlust — not food scarcity or cold. They come and go casually, beyond prediction.
While following a fox trail one cold December day, I heard their clipt cheery notes from a cedar grove. The bright plumage, carefree manners and friendly overtures were a pleasant interlude in the bleakness. While I smoked they inspected and talked me over in the most confidential manner, evidently accepting me as one of the party for they continued their meal of cedar berries quite undisturbed — some coming within hand touch.
Interior of North America, east of Rocky Mountains. In Winter, south to Kansas and Kentucky. East to New England.
Similar in habits to the Evening Grosbeak.
Western North America from British Columbia thru the Rockies to Arizona and New Mexico.
A 40–60-foot tree distributed thru Canadian provinces south in northern United States from New England to Minnesota.