BIRDS of THE WORLD - An Online Bird Book
CARDINALIDAE
Grosbeaks
Order Passeriformes Family Cardinalidae
CARDINALIDAE
The Cardinalidae are a family of passerine birds found in North and South America. The family is comprised of buntings, cardinals, and grosbeaks. However, each of these categories
of birds have similary named birds in other families. The birds of this family are robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. The family ranges in size from 12-25 cm. They are typically associated with
open woodland. The sexes are dimorphic - they usuaully have distinctive appearances.
Grosbeaks
Order Passeriformes Family Cardinalidae
See the Fringillidae family for more grosbeaks.
Genus Caryothraustes
Grosbeak,_Black-faced Caryothraustes poliogaster Found: Mexico, Central America
The Black-faced Grosbeak has a black face; yellow head, neck, breast; whitish belly; olive back, wings, tail; heavy dark bill.
Image by: 1) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Alex Burdo 2) Francesco Veronesi 3) Alan Harper 
Grosbeak,_Yellow-green Caryothraustes canadensis Found: Panama, South America
The Yellow-green Grosbeak has olive-green upperparts; black face; bright yellow-green crown, underparts.
Image by: 1) Danilo Schinke 2) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Adrian_Eisen_Rupp 3) Nick Athanas - Brazil Tibchris
Genus Cyanocompsa
The males of this genus are blue.
Bunting, Blue Cyanocompsa parellina Found: southwest North America, northern Central America
The male has dark blue body; lighter blue forehead, malar (below eye), supercilium, rump.
Similar to: Blue Grosbeak. Blue Grosbeak has double wing bars; Blue Bunting does not. Female is plain brown.
Similar to: Indigo Bunting. Indigo Bunting has bicolored bill; Blue Bunting does not.
Image by: 1, 2) Stylurus -
Nicaragua 3) Bill Bouton - Texas 4) Dominic Sherony Oaxaca, Mexico Similar to: Blue Grosbeak. Blue Grosbeak has double wing bars; Blue Bunting does not. Female is plain brown.
Similar to: Indigo Bunting. Indigo Bunting has bicolored bill; Blue Bunting does not.
1) Female, 2, 3, 4) Male
Grosbeak,_Blue-black Cyanocompsa cyanoides also Cyanoloxia cyanoides Found: Central and South America
The male Blue-black Grosbeak has mainly dark blue plumage; lighter supercilium, forehead. Female has dark brown plumage which can have a slight reddish hue.
Image by: 1) Felix Uribe 2, 3) José Loiza - Ecuador 4) Charlie Westerinen - Poas Volcano in Costa Rica
1, 2) Female 3, 4) Male
Grosbeak,_Ultramarine Cyanocompsa brissonii Found: South America
The male Ultramarine Grosbeak has dark glossy blue body; pale blue forehead, face, supercilium, shoulders. Female is reddish-brown. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in eastern and central South America, with a disjunct population in northern South America.
Similar to: Glaucous-blue Grosbeak. Blue of Ultramarine Grosbeak is darker than blue of Glaucous-blue Grosbeak. Female Glaucous-blue Grosbeak has blue head, Ultramarine Grosbeak female head is not blue.
Image by: 1) Cláudio
Timm - Brazil 2) Michael
Kranewitter 3, 4) Nick Athanas - Brazil 5) Dario Sanches - Brazil Similar to: Glaucous-blue Grosbeak. Blue of Ultramarine Grosbeak is darker than blue of Glaucous-blue Grosbeak. Female Glaucous-blue Grosbeak has blue head, Ultramarine Grosbeak female head is not blue.
1) Juvenile 2, 3) Female 4, 5) Male
Genus Cyanoloxia - 1 species
Grosbeak._Glaucous-blue also Indigo Grosbeak Cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea Found: Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.
The Glaucous-blue Grosbeak has pale blue plumage. Female head is same color as male; reddish-brown underparts.
Similar to: Ultramarine Grosbeak. Blue of Ultramarine Grosbeak is darker than blue of Glaucous-blue Grosbeak. Female Glaucous-blue Grosbeak has blue head, Ultramarine Grosbeak female head is not blue.
Image by: 1, 2) Dario Sanches - Brazil 3) Nick Athanas - Brazil 4) Hector Bottai - Brazil 5) Claudio TimmSimilar to: Ultramarine Grosbeak. Blue of Ultramarine Grosbeak is darker than blue of Glaucous-blue Grosbeak. Female Glaucous-blue Grosbeak has blue head, Ultramarine Grosbeak female head is not blue.
1, 2) Female 3) Juvenile male 4, 5) Male
Genus Periporphyrus - 1 species
Grosbeak,_Red-and-black Periporphyrus erythromelas Found: South America
The Red-and-black Grosbeak has a massive black bill; black head and throat. Male has carmine-red upperparts; rose-red underparts. Female has mainly yellow-green plumage except for the black head and throat.
Image by: 1) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Gabriel Leite
Genus Pheucticus
Grosbeak,_Black-backed Pheucticus aureoventris Found South America
The male Black-backed Grosbeak has black back, head, breast; white spots on wings; yellow underparts. Female has brown back, head; specked yellow breast.
Similar to: Black-headed Grosbeak. Ranges do not overlap. Male Black-backed Grosbeak has a black breast; male Black-headed Grosbeak does not.
Image by: 1, 2) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 3, 4) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo Similar to: Black-headed Grosbeak. Ranges do not overlap. Male Black-backed Grosbeak has a black breast; male Black-headed Grosbeak does not.
1) Female 2 - 4) Male
Grosbeak,_Black-headed Pheucticus melanocephalus Found: west North America
The male Black-headed Grosbeak has a black head; black wings and tail with white patches; orange breast, neck collar; yellow belly. The female has brown back, head, neck all with black streaks; white supercilium, wing bars; whitish breast when breeding; buffy breast when nonbreeding.
Similar to: Black-backed Grosbeak. Ranges do not overlap. Male Black-backed Grosbeak has a black breast; male Black-headed Grosbeak does not.
Similar to: Bullock's Oriole. Male Black-headed Oriole has more black on head than male Bullock's Oriole. Male Bullock's Oriole has more white on wings.
Similar to: Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Males easy to distinguish. Black-headed Grosbeak has bicolored bill; Rose-breasted Grosbeak does not.
Image by: 1) Steve Ryan 2) Walter Siegmund 3) Peter Wallack - New Mexico 4) Rick Lecke 5) Alan D Wilson - Near Green Valley,
Arizona 6) Tony_Morris 7) Alan Vernon 8) Bill Bouton - California Similar to: Black-backed Grosbeak. Ranges do not overlap. Male Black-backed Grosbeak has a black breast; male Black-headed Grosbeak does not.
Similar to: Bullock's Oriole. Male Black-headed Oriole has more black on head than male Bullock's Oriole. Male Bullock's Oriole has more white on wings.
Similar to: Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Males easy to distinguish. Black-headed Grosbeak has bicolored bill; Rose-breasted Grosbeak does not.
1) Baby 2) Female, nonbreeding 3, 4) Female, breeding 5 - 8) Male
Grosbeak,_Black-thighed Pheucticus tibialis Found: Costa Rica, Panama
The male Black-thighed Grosbeak has yellow head, underparts, rump; olive-edged black back; white patch on wing. Female is paler with more olive on its back; and a smaller white wing patch.
Image by: 1) Jerry Oldenettel - Costa Rica 2) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Rual_Vega
Grosbeak,_Golden-bellied also Southern Yellow Grosbeak Pheucticus chrysogaster Found: South America
The Golden-bellied Grosbeak is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. The male has black upperparts; white wing spots; yellow head, underparts.
Image by: 1) David Cook - Peru 2, 3) Nick Athanas - Peru, Ecuador 
Grosbeak,_Rose-breasted Pheucticus ludovicianus Found: middle and east North America, South America
The breeding male Rose-breasted Grosbeak has black back, wings, head, neck, tail; 2 white wing patches; white underparts with rose-red breast patch. Nonbreeding male has mainly white breast; white supercilium, cheeks. Female has dark gray-brown upperparts; white supercilium, throat; streaked buffy underparts.
Image by: 1) Norm Townsend - Oklahoma 2) Cephas - Quebec, Canada 3) Jerry Downs - Indiana 4) nebirdsplus 5) J J Harrison 6) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Michel_Bourque 7) New Jersy Birds 8) Dick Daniels - New Hampshire
1) Juvenile 2) Juvenile male 3, 4) Female 5, 6, 7) Male
Grosbeak,_Yellow also Mexican Yellow Grosbeak Pheucticus chrysopeplus Found: North America (vagrants) Mexico
The male Yellow Grosbeak has yellow back, head, underparts; black wings and tail with large whie spots. Female has olive upperparts with dark streaks on crown and back; smaller white marks on wings.
Image by: 1) M_van_Ree 2) Dick Daniels - Desert Museum aviary in Arizona 3) Arjan Haverkamp - Burgers Zoo, Arnhem, Netherlands 4) Tom
Friedel (BirdPhotos.com) - Miami Metrozoo 
1) Female 2 - 4) Male
Genus Rhodothraupis - 1 species
Grosbeak,_Crimson-collared Rhodothraupis celaeno Found: North America (southern Texas), Mexico
The male Crimson-collared Grosbeak has mainly dark plumage with crimson on the nape, crimson with black spots on lower breast and belly. Female has same dark areas; greenish upperparts; yellowish undeparts.
Similar to: Varied Bunting. Male Crimson-collared Grosbeak has a black head; male Varied Bunting have a blue forehead.
Image by: 1) jpc Raleigh 2) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Earl_Horn in TexasSimilar to: Varied Bunting. Male Crimson-collared Grosbeak has a black head; male Varied Bunting have a blue forehead.
1) Female 2) Male
