Yellow Grosbeak

The yellow grosbeak (Pheucticus chrysopeplus), also known as the Mexican yellow grosbeak, is a medium-sized seed-eating bird in the same family as the northern cardinal, "tropical" or "New World" buntings, and "cardinal-grosbeaks" or New World grosbeaks. The yellow grosbeak occurs on the Pacific slope of Mexico from central Sonora to northwestern Oaxaca, and in southern Chiapas and Guatemala. In Sonora, it is migratory. It has been considered conspecific with P. tibialis of Central America and P. chrysogaster of South America. It occurs mostly in trees in forest, woodland, and edge, but is generally not found in dense rain or cloud forests. Occasional vagrants have reached the United States, mostly in summer in Arizona, but it has also been reported in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and even Iowa. It is considerably bigger than its North American congeners, the black-headed grosbeak and the rose-breasted grosbeak, being about 21.5–24 cm (8.5–9.4 in) long and weighing on average 62 g (2.2 oz). The head is "massive", and the gray-black bill is even bigger in proportion to the head than those of its northern relatives. The plumage has bold contrasts of yellow, white, and black or gray. Males' head and underparts are solid yellow—light lemon…