Watercolor portrait of Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

What does the Rose-breasted Grosbeak call sound like?

Pheucticus ludovicianus
Call Common

Play the real Rose-breasted Grosbeak call, the "a robin who took voice lessons", and learn what to listen for.

What the Rose-breasted Grosbeak call sounds like

This is the real Rose-breasted Grosbeak call recording from the Wings & Whistles sound library. Press play above to hear it.

“a robin who took voice lessons”

Call vs. song: telling the two apart

The same bird makes both. They sound nothing alike.

The call (this page)

The song

A lush, melodic series of warbling phrases, resembling a robin's song but smoother and more variable. Often described as a robin that's had opera training. The song lasts 2–3 seconds per bout, with few pauses between bouts on a spring morning. Males sing frequently from high perches in the canopy during spring and early summer. Females sometimes sing a quieter version from the nest.

“turlee, turdee, daydee”

Where you'll hear it

Deciduous and mixed forests, particularly during breeding. Favors secondary woodlands, wooded stream corridors, and forest edges. Common in groves of maples, oaks, and other hardwoods in summer, often near openings. During migration, found in any habitat with trees, including parks and backyards (they often appear at feeders in spring). Winters in tropical forests, woodlands, and gardens in Central and northern South America. In summer, often seen at mid-canopy level in forests and edges as they forage or sing.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak call FAQ

How do I tell a Rose-breasted Grosbeak from a Black-headed Grosbeak by ear?
Black-headed Grosbeak: Western counterpart species. Male Black-headed has an orange-cinnamon breast and belly with a black head and black-and-white wings (no stark white belly and no rose patch).; Female Black-headed is very similar to female Rose-breasted, but usually more buffy/orange on the breast and less contrast in the facial pattern (throat tends to be orange buff)..
When is the best time to hear the Rose-breasted Grosbeak call?
Arrive on breeding grounds in late April or May. Males often arrive first and begin singing to establish territories. Breeding and nesting occur from May through July. By mid to late summer, they begin fattening on fruits and seeds, and by September most depart for migration. Fall migration peaks in September, with birds moving primarily at night. During migration they may show up at feeders (especially in spring). They spend winter (November to March) in Central and South America. By early May, they return north, with males singing vigorously upon arrival. They are most conspicuous in spring (song) and fall (visiting feeders).

More Rose-breasted Grosbeak sounds

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: the full species pageEvery sound we have, field marks, habitat and similar species.Rose-breasted Grosbeak songThe full song, not the call.How to Identify Bird Sounds (By Ear & With Apps)Learning to identify bird sounds is how you stop letting those moments slip by. It is also one of the fastest ways to feel like birds are no longer random background noise but neighbors you actually recognize.How to Learn Bird Calls Fast: A 7-Day Spring PlanYou have seven days. You want seven birds. This is the plan: one new song per day, a mnemonic per bird, ten minutes you steal from your coffee break. Sunday-to-Sunday, you walk outside and a name lands in your head before you have time to think about it.