Yellow-billed Grosbeak on a Branch

Yellow-billed Grosbeak on a Branch

The yellow-billed grosbeak or Chinese grosbeak, also known as black-tailed hawfinch (Eophona migratoria) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae.

Characteristics:
The bird is eighteen to twenty centimeters long, for a wingspan of 23–24 cm and a weight of 55-60 g.

The appearance is massive, as is typical of the finches, with a large head. The beak is very strong and conical. The beak color is yellow (hence the common name of “yellow-billed grosbeak”) with a black tip.

The body is of a uniform gray color, darker on the back and wings and lighter and tending to silver on the belly, with accentuated brown shades on the sides. The wings are black with a rounded white spot on the tip.

The tail is black, the legs of pale flesh color and the eyes are brown. Sexual dimorphism is present. The head mask is gray in the female and not black as in the male.

Distribution and habitat:
Breed in eastern Siberia, northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. In winter, it moves to South China, Taiwan, Indochina Peninsula and other places.

It occurs in forests, mixed woods and bamboo forests of hilly and mountainous areas: it does not fear humans and also goes into gardens and orchards.

Video Source: 小黃嘴雀 (小桑鳲)/Yellow-billed Grosbeak from Chuenguey Hwang on Youtube ⁄ CC BY