Pine Grosbeak

Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) is a large heavy finch with a thick bill; males are rosy red and grey while females are olive-yellow and grey. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It inhabits subarctic conifer forest across Eurasia and North America, feeds heavily on rowan and other small fruits, buds and seeds and makes irregular southward irruptions when northern fruit crops vary. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).