Perch Supply
Diet

What do black-headed grosbeaks eat?

Insects, seeds and fruit.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Black-headed GrosbeakPheucticus melanocephalus

Spring and summer diet

  • Beetles and caterpillars

Fall and winter diet

  • Winters in Mexico

Best feeder foods

  • Sunflower

One of few birds that eats monarch butterflies; a summer feeder regular in the West.

Which feeder works best for black-headed grosbeaks →

Frequently asked

What do black-headed grosbeaks eat?

Insects, seeds and fruit.

What is the best food to feed black-headed grosbeaks?

Sunflower.

What do black-headed grosbeaks eat in winter?

Winters in Mexico.

Sources

  1. Black-headed Grosbeak — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Black-headed Grosbeak life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Black-headed Grosbeak — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.