[Length 8.75 in. Wingspan 12 in.]

This pair was photographed separately the day after a winter ice storm in central New Jersey and then brought together in the "computer darkroom" of Adobe PhotoShop. Photos taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: January 1994)

[Length 8.25 in. Wingspan 12.5 in.]

This male Black-headed Grosbeak was photographed at the Santa Rita Lodge feeders, Madera Canyon, AZ. Photo taken with a Nikkor 70-200mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=420mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 10, 2007)

[Length 8.25 in. Wingspan 12.5 in.]

This immature male Black-headed Grosbeak was photographed at Cave Creek Canyon, Portal, AZ. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 12, 2007)

[Length 8.25 in. Wingspan 12.5 in.]

This winter plumaged male Black-headed Grosbeak was photographed in winter at a nature center along the central New Jersey coast. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: February 1995)

[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 11 in.]

Blue Grosbeaks are widespread breeding birds along forest edges and in overgrown fields throughout all but the most northern states of the US. The name "Grosbeak" means "large bill", which certainly applies to this bird's oversized bill. The male Blue Grosbeak is easily distinguished from the similar blue-colored Indigo Bunting (which often occurs in the same fields as the Blue Grosbeak) by its "Gross Beak", its larger size, and its chestnut wing patch. This male Blue Grosbeak was photographed at Sabine Woods - TOS, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: April 20, 2005)

[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 11 in.]

This male Blue Grosbeak was photographed near the horse stables at Chisos Basin in Big Bend National Park, Texas. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1993)

[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 11 in.]

This Blue Grosbeak was photographed at the Willows, Sea Rim State Park, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: April 27, 2007)

[Length 6.75 in. Wingspan 11 in.]

This male Blue Grosbeak was photographed at the TOS Sabine Woods Sanctuary, Sabine Pass, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 3, 2008)