While working at Sabal Palm Sanctuary on Feb 12, Seth Patterson was pointing out a Green Jay to some visitors when he noticed an immature Crimson-collared Grosbeak nearby. The sighting took place through a window of the visitor center just before noon.
Crimson-collared Grosbeak eating a coral bean leaf. Photo by Seth Patterson.
This Code 4 species is an endemic of northeast Mexico and occurs in the ABA Area only in Texas as a vagrant. In the winters of 1987-1988 and 2004-2005, Texas experienced small invasions of these grosbeaks.
Sabal Palm Sanctuary is located on the south side of Brownsville, Texas, right along the Rio Grande and the US/Mexico border. It is open 7 AM - 5 PM, seven days a week.There is an admission fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. Half-year and year memberships are also available.
Holy cow--I've BEEN to that tiny and very cool park, driving from Calif. to Houston, the bio-nerdy way. I presume at other times/in other genders(??) a collar that is a bright red is visible, perhaps?? Nice shot of what looks like a winsome, charming bird. =) Kinda looks like a valentines day card in its beak...
Posted by: biobabbler | 02/13/2013 at 04:50 AM
Seth reported seeing the Crimson-collared Grosbeak around the visitor's center again today.
Posted by: Max Wilson | 02/13/2013 at 12:13 PM
That's correct. The adult males (sadly, very infrequently seen in the ABA Area), are deep red where this bird is mostly green.
Posted by: Nate Swick | 02/15/2013 at 10:17 AM
Still being seen as of yesterday, 3/11/13
Posted by: Tricia | 03/12/2013 at 08:42 AM