The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a medium-sized songbird found in forests across much of North America. These colorful birds have black heads, white breast patches, and pink wing bars. Their diet consists mainly of insects, seeds, and fruit.
Quick Answer
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks eat a variety of fruit including mulberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and cherries. They also eat tree seeds and buds along with insects like beetles, caterpillars, and ants.
Fruit Eating Habits
Fruit makes up a significant part of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak’s diet, especially during summer and fall. They forage for fruit throughout the day, venturing into open habitats like forest edges and yards with fruiting trees or shrubs. Their strong beaks allow them to extract juices and flesh from even hard-skinned fruit.
Some of the fruits favored by Rose-breasted Grosbeaks include:
- Mulberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Cherries
Mulberry trees are a particularly important food source. The birds will flock to feed on ripening mulberries in late spring and summer. They also readily eat fallen mulberries off the ground. Other soft fruits like raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries get targeted as they become available through summer and fall.
Backyard Fruit Trees
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks will also visit yards and gardens with fruiting trees like cherry, crabapple, pear, or plum. They can often be found feeding on fallen fruit below the trees. This is especially true late in the season when the fruit is overripe and dropping.
Some tips for attracting Rose-breasted Grosbeaks with fruit trees:
- Plant native fruiting trees like black cherry, chokecherry, or serviceberry
- Choose disease-resistant cultivars that produce an abundance of fruit
- Leave fallen fruit below the trees rather than cleaning it up
- Avoid pesticide use so birds can safely eat the fruit
In addition to eating the fruits directly off trees, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks will come to fruit and jelly feeders stocked with chopped fruits or jelly. They tend to prefer larger platform feeders rather than tube feeders. Providing fruit is a great way to attract them during migration and get views of males in their bright breeding plumage.
Insect Eating
While fruit forms a good part of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak’s diet, they also consume large quantities of insects. Insects make up the majority of food fed to nestlings. Some common insects eaten include:
- Beetles
- Caterpillars
- Grasshoppers
- Crickets
- Leafhoppers
- Spiders
- Ants
- Wasps
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks forage for insects both high and low in trees and shrubs. Their heavy thick bills are well-suited for crushing hard-shelled insects. Caterpillars like tent caterpillars, fall webworms, and gypsy moths get consumed in large numbers when available.
Increased Insect Eating in Spring
Insects dominate the diet during spring breeding season as the birds prepare for nesting. Males in particular eat lots of insects while establishing territories and attracting a mate. The protein gained from beetles, ants, and other insects helps ensure good sperm quality and fertility.
Once the nestlings hatch, both parents switch to hunting insects constantly to satisfy the hungry young birds. Caterpillars get delivered whole, providing a high-protein meal. As the nesting period winds down in early summer, fruit becomes more prevalent in the Grosbeak’s diet once again.
Seed and Bud Eating
In addition to fruit and insects, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks eat a variety of tree seeds and buds. This includes:
- Maple seeds
- Ash seeds
- Pine seeds
- Elm seeds
- Birch seeds
- Flower buds
- Leaf buds
These foods provide important calories and nutrients during cooler months when insects and fruit are less abundant. Grosbeaks forage in deciduous trees and shrubs for dormant season buds, as well as conifers for nutritious pine seeds. Their thick beaks help crack open the toughest seeds.
Feeding in Winter
Seeds and buds become a primary part of the Grosbeak diet in winter. They feed heavily on maple seeds (samaras), elm seeds, and birch seeds. Pine seeds get extracted from cones with their strong beaks. Flower and leaf buds also provide an important food source in late winter before most insects emerge.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks will also visit bird feeders for sunflower seeds, peanuts, and millet. Stocking feeders can help attract them to backyards in winter when natural foods are limited. Just be sure to provide larger platform feeders rather than tube feeders they can’t easily perch on.
Geographic Differences
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks occupy a wide breeding range across North America. Their diet shows some geographic differences based on locally available foods.
Northeast
In northeast forests, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks eat a lot of insects and fruit. Caterpillars like gypsy moths and tent caterpillars provide abundant food in spring. Berry crops are important in summer and fall, including wild blueberries, blackberries, and viburnums.
Southeast
In the southeast, pine seeds get heavily consumed where pines are common. Pecans also provide an important fall and winter food source. Persimmons, blackberries, and muscadine grapes supplement the diet through summer.
Midwest
Midwestern birds eat more tree seeds like maple, elm, and birch. Caterpillars and beetles dominate during spring and summer. Mulberries, black cherries, and other native fruits are sought out in summer through fall.
West
Western populations feed more on conifer seeds year-round, including pine and spruce. Flower buds get eaten in spring before the main insect emergence. Chokecherries, elderberries, and other fruits supplement the diet in later summer.
Despite regional differences, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks across their range depend on a combination of fruit, insects, seeds, and buds throughout the year. Their diverse diet supports these migratory songbirds on their long journeys between breeding and wintering grounds.
Conclusion
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks eat a varied diet consisting mainly of fruit, insects, seeds, and buds. Their heavy thick beaks allow them to crush hard seeds and insects. Fruit comprises a major part of their diet during summer and fall, especially berries and mulberries. Caterpillars and other insects get consumed in large quantities in spring to feed hungry nestlings. In winter, seeds and buds become more important food sources. By consuming a diverse mix of foods, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks obtain the energy and nutrients needed to sustain them across their breeding and migratory range.
