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Bird call
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) call
A rich, rolling song like a robin that took singing lessons, and a sharp, squeaky pik.
Listen to the Black-headed Grosbeak call
A field recording of the Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) by Mara Christensen, shared on iNaturalist. Listen for the Black-headed Grosbeak in woodland and garden habitats.
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Sounds similar
Birds that sound similar to the Black-headed Grosbeak
These birds belong to the cardinal family, like the Black-headed Grosbeak, so their calls can sound alike.
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Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
A hoarse, robin-like song of short phrases, and a rising, rattled pit-er-ick call.
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Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena
A bright, scratchy run of paired notes that speeds up, from a brushy hillside.
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Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Loud, clear whistled phrases, cheer-cheer-cheer or birdie-birdie-birdie; a sharp metallic chip.
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Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
A hoarse, burry robin-like song and a distinctive chip-burr call.
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Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
A sweet, rich robin-like warble, and a squeaky eek call like a sneaker on a gym floor.
Questions
Questions about the Black-headed Grosbeak
What does the Black-headed Grosbeak sound like?
A rich, rolling song like a robin that took singing lessons, and a sharp, squeaky pik. Listen to the recording above.
Which birds sound like the Black-headed Grosbeak?
Western Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, Northern Cardinal, Scarlet Tanager and Rose-breasted Grosbeak sound similar.
Where can I hear the Black-headed Grosbeak?
SongLark teaches it in two courses: Birds of California and Birds of the Pacific Northwest.
How can I learn the Black-headed Grosbeak call?
In SongLark's Birds of California course, it comes in Level 8: Sierra Nevada. SongLark teaches it by ear with real field recordings.
Courses
Learn this call in
SongLark teaches the Black-headed Grosbeak in two courses: Birds of California and Birds of the Pacific Northwest. Each course plays real field recordings and brings every bird back for review just before you would forget it.
- In Birds of California, the Black-headed Grosbeak comes in Level 8: Sierra Nevada. That Level is about pine and fir forest up to the high peaks.
- In Birds of the Pacific Northwest, the Black-headed Grosbeak comes in Level 4: Summer Songsters. That Level is about the migrants that fill the woods from May to August.
Learn it with these birds in Level 8 of Birds of California
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Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli
A hoarse chick-a-dee-dee-dee and a clear, falling fee-bee-bee whistle.
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Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
A nasal, tinny yank-yank, like a toy horn, repeated from high in the conifers.
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Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
A long, clear opening note then a ringing, ethereal flourish, each phrase pitched differently.
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Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
A loud, sweet song of clear whistles and trills from mountain chaparral, and a sharp smack call.
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Clark's Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana
A grating, drawn-out kraaa that rings across the high peaks.
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Hairy Woodpecker Leuconotopicus villosus
A sharp, loud peek! and a fast, even rattle on one pitch.
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Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi
A clear, piping, bell-like tew repeated in winter; a long, rich warbling song in spring.
Get SongLark
Learn Black-headed Grosbeak in SongLark
Install SongLark, sign in, and choose a course that teaches the Black-headed Grosbeak.
- Your first course is free. When you first sign in, you choose one course to keep.
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