Fringilla verpertina
We don't have parrots in this part of the world, but we do have evening grosbeaks. These chunky birds are so colorful that they're sometimes called parrots of the north.
Though they once were found across the northern third of the state, they've become an uncommon species in Minnesota. There are only small, widely scattered populations, but more will likely move into the state this winter.
Why here? Evening grosbeaks feed on boxelder and maple seeds, which are in short supply in areas of Ontario, where the birds are more common. Though they don't migrate in winter, they will move to find food. But it's hard to predict where they might show up because these birds are nomadic and opportunistic.
That's some beak Evening grosbeaks have the large bill characteristic of the grosbeak family. It allows the birds to be more efficient at food gathering because they can eat larger seeds that a smaller-billed bird might have to bypass.
What's in a name? The bird got its name by mistake. It was given the designation "evening" after explorer Henry Schoolcraft (yes, our Henry, the man who discovered the headwaters of the Mississippi River) collected specimens of the species during his explorations. He sent them to a New York museum along with notes reporting that the bird sang only in the evening. At least he was right about the river.
