Black-headed Grosbeak in June
Where black-headed grosbeaks are in June, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
June in the Black-headed Grosbeak's year
June is the height of the nesting season. Most resident and migrant species are raising young, migration is essentially over, and bird activity peaks at dawn. By late June the first fledglings of the year are everywhere — clumsy, loud, and constantly begging.
For the Black-headed Grosbeak specifically, June is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 15 states and provinces where black-headed grosbeaks occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where black-headed grosbeaks are in June
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In June, black-headed grosbeaks are absent in the South, summer breeder across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in June
June is inside the Black-headed Grosbeak nesting season. Nest: loose twig cup in dense trees. Clutch 2–5 eggs, incubation 12–14 days, 1 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in June
- Beetles and caterpillars
One of few birds that eats monarch butterflies; a summer feeder regular in the West.
Expect to see adults carrying food away rather than eating it — they're feeding nestlings. Fledglings visiting feeders with their parents are a June highlight.
Full Black-headed Grosbeak diet guide → · Best feeder for black-headed grosbeaks →
Watching black-headed grosbeaks this month
In June, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region black-headed grosbeaks are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Black-headed Grosbeak month by month
Black-headed Grosbeak by state
Frequently asked
Where are black-headed grosbeaks in June?
In June, black-headed grosbeaks are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do black-headed grosbeaks nest in June?
Yes — June falls inside the Black-headed Grosbeak nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do black-headed grosbeaks eat in June?
Beetles and caterpillars.
Sources
- Black-headed Grosbeak — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-headed Grosbeak life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- 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.