Outdoor Radio: Pine Grosbeak Irruption

A female Pine Grosbeak feeds on crab apples. / © Nathaniel Sharp

In this month’s episode of Outdoor Radio, biologists Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra are at the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier, Vermont, with Nathaniel Sharp, a naturalist at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. Together, they are scanning the tops of crab apple trees looking for Pine Grosbeaks, a “crown jewel” for winter bird watchers. Winter finch Irruptions don’t happen every year, but when fruit and seeds are sparse in the boreal forests, finches will often migrate south. Join us on this adventure and learn more about these irruptions from the north.

Listen to the show

Learn more

• • • View a live map of Pine Grosbeak reports on Vermont eBird and add your sightings, too.
    • View our Vermont eBird checklist from the show and see some more images.
    • Learn more about Pine Grosbeaks on All About Birds.
    • Read Ron Pittaway’s winter finch forecast.

Pine Grosbeak reports to Vermont eBird during December and January. Click on the map to see a live version and explore.

Outdoor Radio is produced in collaboration with Vermont Public Radio.