Birds of North Carolina - their Distribution and Abundance

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

CARDINALIDAE Members:

Black-headed Grosbeak 490

General Comments

The Black-headed Grosbeak, the Western counterpart of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, is a casual to very rare visitor to North Carolina and other Eastern states. As of 2025, there are about 16 records, mostly of females/immatures. Nine of the records are from Jan through Apr, with five of these birds lingering from one to four months. The latest date in spring is 11 May and the earliest date in fall is 30 Sep. Despite the large and increasing numbers of feeders in the state in winter, the species went unreported in the state between 2007 and 2016.

Breeding Status

Nonbreeder

NC BRC List

Definitive

State Status

none

U.S. Status

Definitive

State Rank

Global Rank

Coastal Plain

Casual visitor. There are seven records: one in Wilmington, 8-16 Apr 1969 (Chat 33:4); one at Bodie Island on 30 Sep 1974 (Chat 39:1); one in Pinehurst (Moore), 26 Dec 1974 - 18 Apr 1975 (Chat 41:3); an adult male in Duck (Dare) on 25 Oct 1975 (Chat 40:2); one in Morehead City, 19 Mar - 21 Apr 1984 (Chat 48:102); a first winter male at a feeder in Elizabeth City, 6 Feb - 22 Apr 2003 (Chat 68:3); and a female photographed in Wilmington, 17 Oct 2019 (Chat 84:28).

Piedmont

Casual visitor. There are eight records: one in Greensboro, 6 Jan - 12 Apr 1964 (Chat 28:2); a male in Reidsville (Rockingham), 19 Jan - 10 May 1975 (Chat 39:3); one in Winston-Salem on 1 Nov 1983 (Chat 48:62); one in High Point on 6 May 1984 (Chat 48:102); an adult male photographed in a yard in Weddington (Union), 22 Nov 2016; an immature male at a feeder in Charlotte from 11-17 Mar 2018; an immature male at a feeder in Albemarle (Stanly) on 30 Apr 2025; and a male in a Wake yard on 14 Feb 2026.

Mountain

Casual/accidental, with just one record: a breeding-plumaged male was photographed at a feeder on 11 May 2007 at Boone* (Watauga) (Chat 79:184) (Chat 80:15).

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