Are Black-headed Grosbeaks in Michigan?

The Black-headed Grosbeak is a medium-sized songbird found in the western United States. Its range extends east to the Great Plains states like Nebraska and Kansas, but it is rarely found further east than that. So an interesting question is, have Black-headed Grosbeaks ever been spotted in the state of Michigan? In this article, we’ll look at the evidence for and against Black-headed Grosbeaks occurring in Michigan.

Typical Range of Black-headed Grosbeaks

As mentioned above, Black-headed Grosbeaks are western birds, with their core breeding range being in the Rocky Mountains and westward. Their range extends into the western Great Plains, but only marginally into the eastern Great Plains in states like Kansas and Nebraska.

East of this core western range, Black-headed Grosbeak records become much more sparse. There are occasional records in states like Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. But these are very rare and sporadic occurrences on the far eastern fringe of the species’ typical range.

So while not impossible, the odds are stacked against a Black-headed Grosbeak turning up in Michigan, which is even further east than the states mentioned above. The species’ normal range makes Michigan quite an unlikely place to find a Black-headed Grosbeak.

Habitat Preferences

In addition to range, we can look at the habitat preferences of Black-headed Grosbeaks for clues as to whether they could occur in Michigan.

Within their western range, Black-headed Grosbeaks breed in relatively open, semi-arid habitats with scattered trees. This includes pine-oak woodlands, riparian forests along streams, and scrubby chaparral habitats. In migration and winter they can be found in similar semi-open, scrubby habitats.

Michigan does not have extensive areas of habitat like chaparral or pine-oak woodlands. And while there are some scattered scrubby fields, these are relatively small patches of habitat unlikely to attract many western vagrant songbird species.

So again, the habitat preferences of Black-headed Grosbeaks also make Michigan an unlikely place for them to turn up.

Evidence of Black-headed Grosbeaks in Michigan

Given the information above about range and habitat, one would not expect Black-headed Grosbeaks to occur regularly, or even occasionally, in Michigan. But have any ever been documented in the state? Let’s look at the evidence.

Specimen Records

There are no museum specimen records of Black-headed Grosbeaks collected in Michigan. Specimens provide physical proof of a bird’s occurrence in an area and are a strong form of evidence. The lack of any Michigan specimens is telling.

Photographic Evidence

There are also no documented photographic records of Black-headed Grosbeaks in Michigan. In today’s day and age, rare birds are often photographed by the birders who find them. Yet there are no photos substantiating any Michigan Black-headed Grosbeaks.

Sight Records

What about sight records – observations made by birders but not necessarily accompanied by photograph evidence?

Here the waters get slightly muddier, as there have been a handful of reported sightings of Black-headed Grosbeaks in Michigan over the decades:

However, these sight records are not considered fully substantiated for various reasons – they lack secondary observer confirmation, detailed documentation, and/or were not reviewed thoroughly by a state bird records committee.

So in summary, there are no verified records of Black-headed Grosbeaks in Michigan, either via specimen, photograph, or adequately documented sightings.

Conclusion

Based on the species’ range, habitat preferences, lack of specimens, lack of photos, and lack of verified sight records, there is no reliable evidence that Black-headed Grosbeaks have occurred in the state of Michigan.

While a vagrant individual is always possible, especially during spring migration, the chances seem very slim. Birders visiting Michigan in hopes of finding the state’s first Black-headed Grosbeak are likely to go home disappointed.

In the future, a fully documented Black-headed Grosbeak sighting or – even better – a photographed bird may finally confirm this western species for Michigan. But until that time, skeptics will continue doubting any reports of Black-headed Grosbeaks in the Great Lakes region. Careful scrutiny is warranted for a species so far outside its expected range.

Further Reading

For more information on the range, habitat, and identification of Black-headed Grosbeaks, consult these online resources:

• Black-headed Grosbeak overview – All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
• Black-headed Grosbeak species account – Audubon Field Guide
• Black-headed Grosbeak eBird data – Explore range maps, abundance charts, and recent sightings

Mastering the identification and distribution of western vagrant songbirds takes considerable experience and skill. Misidentification of such birds is common. Birders should study carefully before claiming sightings of Black-headed Grosbeaks and other western species far outside their normal ranges.