The spring migration has started and with it the sightings of very special bird species on the island of Curaçao. Warblers, waterbirds and other beauties are on their way back to North America and sometimes visit the island to rest, replenish their fat reserves and continue their journey North. Last October we featured a tired female Rose-breasted grosbeak, photographed by Lucas Bernier at Daaibooi. Now that we are in the month of April, the grossbeaks have returned. Chela Thode and Niels Bouwmeester, who live in the area of Montaña, have to luck to have both a male and a female individual of this species visiting their garden.
Rose-breasted grosbeak
Rose-breasted grosbeaks are North American birds that breed in forests in the North-eastern United States and Canada where they will occur in both secondary forests, parks and gardens. Their overwintering grounds lay in forested areas and also half open wild locations in South and Central America such as Colombia. These birds are omnivorous as they eat both insects, seeds and fruits. In their breeding range these birds often visit bird feeders where they eat sunflower seeds and peanuts.
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are very conspicuous in their colouring with a striking Black back with white striped, a white belly and bright rose-coloured breast. Females however, as in most bird species, are far less conspicuously coloured with dark brown ad greyish colours, white patches on the wings and a white eyebrow stripe.
They are at their most beautiful now and that can be seen on the fantastic photos sent to us by Mr. Niels Bouwmeester in the last couple of days. The birds were spotted in the garden of Chela Thode in the area of Montaña and have been staying there for the last days.
Continuing their journey
It will not be long before these birds will continue their travels to their breeding grounds in northeastern United States, ranging into southeastern and central Canada. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are a rare sighting on the island. But maybe they have been here more often than we think, just never observed by us humans.
English: Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Dutch: Roodborstkardinaal
Papiamentu: Pik grandi pechu ros (?)
Scientific: Pheucticus ludovicianus
PHOTO’S BY: Niels Bouwmeester, Curaçao
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