MOURC Proceedings Archive for The Loon - Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

	MOURC Proceedings Archive - Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks	Accepted Duplicates
	This is the 1981 to present Records Committee Proceedings archive for The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. The last 2 years are available to MOU members.

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Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Towhees, Sparrows
Yellow-breasted Chat
Blackbirds, Orioles
Warblers
Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

Proceedings

Species: Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks

Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Western Tanager

[Pyrrhuloxia]
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak

Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting

Dickcissel

	Ref	First	Last	Location	County	Comment	Status
Black-headed Grosbeak (C) (Pheucticus melanocephalus)						Start Date 0000-00-00
	19:104	1947	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Bemidji
1	MOU	1947-08-11		Bemidji	Beltrami	The Flicker 19:104	Accepted
2	MOU	1967-07-15	1967-08-09	Mendota Heights	Dakota	The Loon 39:130	Accepted
	avian information	1967-07-15	1967-08-09		Dakota	7/15-8/9 Dakota (first state record) (first county record) mid July to Aug. 9, Mendota Heights, Da kota Co., one adult male came regularly to feeder of Bernard Friel; seen feeding a young grosbeak on 8-6 by HFH; photo graphed in color; first verified state rec ord.
	44:121-122	1972	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Dakota County
3	MOU	1972-04-19	1972-04-26	West St. Paul	Dakota	The Loon 44:79 The Loon 44:121	Accepted
	avian information	1972-04-19	1972-04-26		Dakota	4/19-26 Dakota (second state record) (second county record)
	avian information	1972-07-01			Dakota	7/1 Dakota (third state record) (third county record)
	45:64-65	1973	index			Hybrid Rose-breasted-Black-headed Grosbeak
	46:116-117	1974	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Freeborn County
	46:117	1974	index			More Black-headed Grosbeak Reports
	47:139	1975	index			Black-headed Grosbeak Seen in Rock County
	51:164-169	1979	index			Was it a Black-headed Grosbeak?
4	54:42	1981-10-18	1981-10-25	Grand Marais	Cook	(vote 7-0, Loon 54:61-62)	Accepted
	avian information	1981-10-19	1981-10-25		Cook	10/19-25 Cook (fourth state record) (first county record) 10-19 thru 10-25 Cook KMH, KE, JB, RG, DGW, SDM. ;
	54:61-62	1982	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Grand Marais
5	55:41	1982-10-10	1982-10-11	Encampment Forest	Lake	(vote 6-1)	Accepted
	avian information	1982-10-10	1982-10-11		Lake	10/10-11 Lake (fifth state record) (first county record) One report: 10/ 10 Lake J. Savage.
	avian information	1983-05-05	1983-05-11		Carver	5/5, 11 Carver (sixth state record) (first county record)
	55:93	1983	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Carver County
6	55:117	1983-05-11		Chanhassen	Carver	(vote 6-1 ; Loon 55:93)	Accepted
	56:17	1983-08-04	1983-08-06	Roseville	Ramsey	(vote 2-5) The details included no description of the bird; all that was said was that "the bird looked exactly like the bird in The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds"i.e., an adult female Blackheaded. But it is never enough to say a bird looked just like in a book, since a deSpring 1984 scription of the bird being reported (not the one in a book) is always required for any unusual record; with relatively inexperienced observers especially, there is always too great a possibility of a field guide misleading and influencing what was actually seen .	Not Accepted
	56:17	1983-08-08		Roseville	Ramsey	(vote 2-5) A photo of this individual (possibly the same one seen Aug. 4-6) suggests an adult female Black-headed Grosbeak , but the bird is most likely a juvenile male Rosebreasted which , although not adequately stressed in the field guides, often appears relatively unstreaked and buffy below and is frequently and easily mistaken for the Black-headed Grosbeak .	Not Accepted
	56:196	1984	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in St. Paul
7	56:160	1984-05-24		St. Paul	Ramsey	(vote 7-0; The Loon 56:196).	Accepted
	avian information	1984-05-24			Ramsey	5/24 Ramsey (seventh state record) (first county record) One report 5/24 Ramsey R. Skarjune and L. Treeful (*The Loon* 56:196).
	58:140	1986	index			Black-headed Grosbeak at Blue Mounds
8	58:146	1986-05-24		Blue Mounds State Park	Rock	(vote 7-0; The Loon 58:140).	Accepted
	avian information	1986-05-24			Rock	5/24 Rock (eighth state record) (first county record) 5/24 Rock Mike Mulligan (*The Loon* 58:140).
	59:57	1986-05-26		Andover	Anoka	(vote 2-5). Although the description seemed to indicate Black-headed Grosbeak and no other species, the main problem with the record was that the observers were unaware that the species was unusual since they claimed to have seen the species twice before in Minnesota , but did not report them , in 1983 and 1984. The majority , therefore, felt it most unlikely that someone could have seen this accidental species three times in three years in the state .	Not Accepted
	61:10	1988-09-17		Minneapolis	Hennepin	(vote 0-7). The identification of this presumed female was based only on the "mostly" unstreaked "golden yellow" underparts; however, juvenile male Rose-breasteds can also match this pattern, and it is necessary to observe the color of the under wing linings to separate these two .	Not Accepted
9	61:121	1988-11-18	1988-11-26	Aitkin	Aitkin	(vote 7-0; The Loon 61:4748).	Accepted
	avian information	1988-11-18	1988-11-26		Aitkin	11/18-26 Aitkin (ninth state record) (first county record) 11/11-26 Aitkin, Aitkin Co. m.ob. (The Loon 61:47-48).
	61:47-48	1989	index			A Black-headed Grosbeak in Aitkin
	61:84	1989	index			First Black-headed Grosbeak Record for Southeastern Minnesota
	61:140	1989	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Lac Qui Parle County
10	61:121	1989-05-06		O.L. Kipp S.P	Winona	(vote 7-0; The Loon 61 :84).	Accepted
	avian information	1989-05-06			Winona	5/6 Winona (eleventh state record) (first county record) 5/6 Winona TH, (*The Loon* 61:84), 5/11 Lac qui Parle CMB.
11	62:12	1989-05-11	1989-05-26	Cerro Gordo Twp.	Lac qui Parle	(vote 6-1; The Loon 61:140).	Accepted
	avian information	1989-05-11	1989-05-26		Lac qui Parle	5/11-26 Lac qui Parle (tenth state record) (first county record) 5/6 Winona TH, (*The Loon* 61:84), 5/11 Lac qui Parle CMB.
	62:12	1989-08-19		Blaine	Anoka	(vote 2-5). This identification of a female Black-headed was based entirely on the "more golden" and only lightly streaked breast. However, juvenile male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks can also fit this pattern at this time of year, and the color of the underwing linings (the only diagnostic difference between these two) would have to be noted for such a record to be accepted .	Not Accepted
	64:231-232	1992	index			Black-headed Grosbeak at Bemidji
12	65:33	1992-04-15	1992-04-16	Bemidji	Beltrami	(vote 5-2; The Loon 64:231-232).	Accepted
	avian information	1992-04-15			Beltrami	4/15 Beltrami (twelfth state record) (first county record) Reported 4/16 Beltrami AEM (*The Loon* 64:231–232).
	65:159	1993	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Jackson County
	65:146	1993-05-08	1993-05-16	Pomroy L.	Kanabec	(vote 25). Since separation of female grosbeaks, which are variable in plumage, is often difficult, a complete and careful description is necessary to document this species. Though the relatively unstreaked and orangish underparts of this bird were noted, its supercilium was described as whiter than those of the Rose-breasteds with it, while female Black-headeds tend to have buffier superciliums.	Not Accepted
13	66:43	1993-06-09		near Heron Lake	Jackson	(vote 6-1; The Loon 65:159).	Accepted
	avian information	1993-06-09			Jackson	6/9 Jackson (thirteenth state record) (first county record) The fourth summer record for Minnesota; a single bird identified on 6/9 near Heron Lake, Jackson Co. ES (*The Loon* 65:159).
	66:155	1994	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Lac Qui Parle County
14	66:127	1994-05-13		Boyd	Lac qui Parle	(The Loon 66:155).	Accepted
	avian information	1994-05-13	1994-05-16		Lac qui Parle	5/13-16 Lac qui Parle (fourteenth state record) (second county record) Reported 5/13 Boyd, Lac qui Parle Co. FE (*The Loon* 66:155).
	67:182	1995	index			Black-headed Grosbeak at Moorhead
15	67:165	1995-05-17		Moorhead	Clay	(The Loon 67:182).	Accepted
	avian information	1995-05-17			Clay	5/17 Clay (fifteenth state record) (first county record) One report 5/17 Moorhead, Clay Co. SM, GN et al. (The Loon 67:182).
16	69:28	1996-05-20			Roseau	(photo record). There is no written description of this bird, with the only documentation consisting of photographs which are not clearly identifiable; however, they appear to be of a male Baltimore Oriole.	Accepted
17	70:156	1997-05-24		Ulen	Clay	(photo record #98-28, vote 7-0.	Accepted
	avian information	1997-05-24	1997-05-27		Clay	5/24, 27 Clay (second county record) 5/24 Clay TBr. [Corrected]
18	71:156	1999-05-13		Middletown Twp.	Jackson	(record #99-20, vote 6-1).	Accepted
	avian information	1999-05-13			Jackson	5/13 Jackson (second county record) Only report: 5/13 Jackson (female at Anderson County Park) PS (The Loon 71:237–238).
19	72:164	2000-05-13		Cottonwood	Lyon	(record #2000-34, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2000-05-13			Lyon	5/13 Lyon (first county record) Only documented report: 5/13 Lyon (female in Cottonwood) †PE (The Loon 72:140).
20	73:35	2000-10-21	2000-10-23	Two Harbors	Lake	(record #2000-87, vote 5-2).	Accepted
	avian information	2000-10-21	2000-10-23		Lake	10/21-23 Lake (second county record) Female seen 10/21–23 Lake (Two Harbors) †JWL, †PHS.
21	73:168	2001-05-10		White Earth Lake	Becker	(record #2001-33, vote 7-0).	Accepted
	avian information	2001-05-10			Becker	5/10 Becker (first county record) Male at feeder 5/10 Becker (Maple Grove Twp.) †BRK.
	74:240-241	2002	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Moorhead, Clay County
22	76:39	2002-05-15		Vesta	Redwood	(record #2003-74, vote 6-1). This male was photographed by the homeowners at their feeders.	Accepted
	avian information	2002-05-15			Redwood	5/15 Redwood (first county record) Male at feeder 5/24–26 Clay (Moorhead) †RHO, ph. DDM, †PHS, m.ob. (*The Loon* 74:240–241).
23	75:41	2002-05-24	2002-05-26	Moorhead	Clay	(record #2002-52, vote 7-0, The Loon 74:240-241). As with the Black-throated Sparrow (record 2002-55), this male was seen by many observers and photographed in the same yard where the sparrow appeared.	Accepted
	avian information	2002-05-24	2002-05-28		Clay	5/24-28 Clay (third county record) Male at feeder 5/24–26 Clay (Moorhead) †RHO, ph. DDM, †PHS, m.ob. (*The Loon* 74:240–241).
	76:152	2004-05-08		Lac qui Parle State Park	Lac qui Parle	(record #2004-064, vote 2-5). Despite being observed at close range “for about a minute” the description was incomplete, e.g., no mention of back pattern, wing-bars, rump, tail, and leg color. Wing linings were not seen. The observer's experience with this species was not outlined, and light conditions, time of day, and position of bird with respect to the sun were unknown. The committee has been circumspect regarding reports of non-adult male Black-headed Grosbeaks; only 4 of the 21 accepted records of this species are of adult females.	Not Accepted
	76:152	2004-05-29		Lac qui Parle State Park	Lac qui Parle	(record #2004-065, vote 2-5). This bird was seen flying through the trees for a distance of 40 feet before it perched on a log for about five seconds and then disappeared. Understandably, the description was incomplete and although sketches were submitted of the bird in flight, it was unclear how well the underwing and upperwing pattern were seen as it flew through the trees. Brief observations for seconds at a time do not permit careful scrutiny for hybrid characteristics such as back streaking, rose tinges to an orange breast, or orange tinges on a yellow underwing. The observer described the back of this grosbeak as black, but if the back was really black then the grosbeak could not have been a pure Black-headed: in pure Black-headed Grosbeaks the back is streaked (Anderson and Daugherty. 1974. Characteristics and reproductive biology of grosbeaks (Pheucticus) in the hybrid zone in South Dakota. Wilson Bulletin 86:1-11).	Not Accepted
	78:40	2004-12-18		Vadnais Heights	Ramsey	(record #2005-053, vote 0-7). The description of a bird seen with six robins during a Christmas Bird Count noted “black and white markings on the head”, “bright orange-red breast” and “white markings on wings”. These details were considered too vague and incomplete to determine species.	Not Accepted
24	77:169	2005-05-24		near Luverne	Rock	(record #2005-025, vote 7-0). This adult male pursued a female Rosebreasted Grosbeak (P. ludovicianus).	Accepted
	avian information	2005-05-24			Rock	5/24 Rock (second county record) Two accepted records: 5/24 Rock (adult male near Luverne) †PHS (*The Loon* 77:258–259) and 5/29+ Marshall (adult male near Newfolden) †MBr; also documented by †PCC, †JMJ, †SAS.
25	78:40	2005-05-29	2005-06-16	New Solum Township	Marshall	(record #2005-037, vote 7-0). An adult male sporadically visited a feeder during its 19-day stay.	Accepted
	avian information	2005-05-29	2005-05-30		Marshall	5/29-30 Marshall (first county record) Two accepted records: 5/24 Rock (adult male near Luverne) †PHS (*The Loon* 77:258–259) and 5/29+ Marshall (adult male near Newfolden) †MBr; also documented by †PCC, †JMJ, †SAS.
	avian information	2005-06-06	2005-06-14		Marshall	6/6, 12, 13, 14 Marshall (second county record) Adult male at feeder south of Newfolden, from 5/29 until 6/16 Marshall †MBr, †PCC, †JMJ, †SAS (*The Loon* 78:54–55)
	78:40	2005-06-10		Reine Township	Roseau	(record #2005-040, vote 0-7). Bill shape was not described and the color of its bill “yellow/light colored” eliminated Blackheaded Grosbeak. The bird's behavior — hiding under a low-growing juniper or the edge of a brush pile, then coming out to peck on the ground — was atypical for a grosbeak; the observers considered this when they wrote, “the white breast extended well up on the chest area, which made us think of a Rufous-sided towhee.”	Not Accepted
	78:54-55	2006	index			Black-headed Grosbeak in Marshall County
	79:123	2006-08-28		southeast of Granite Falls	Chippewa	(record #2006-092, vote 0-7). Despite being observed for 30 minutes with two female grosbeaks (presumably Rose-breasted), there was no comparison among the three birds and no field notes were taken. The description omitted most of its plumage, including wing linings, and its bare parts were not described.	Not Accepted
	avian information	2006-08-28			Chippewa	8/28 Chippewa (first county record)
	79:123	2006-09-18	2006-09-20	Britt	St. Louis	(record #2006-089, vote 1-6). One distant image and brief written details were insufficient to eliminate either Rose-breasted Grosbeak (P. ludovicianus) or hybrids thereof. Wing linings were not seen, so the bird could not be aged or sexed; some first-fall Rose-breasteds show a whitish belly and nearly unstreaked pale buff breast, very similar to the appearance of this bird in the submitted image.	Not Accepted
	avian information	2007-05-01	2007-05-31		Wilkin	5/1-31 Wilkin (first county record) Adult male third week in May at feeder in Wilkin (Breckenridge) ph. LPT fide SPM. [Corrected]
26	80:5	2007-05-20		Breckenridge	Wilkin	(record #2007-043, vote 6-1).	Accepted
	82:3	2008-05-21		Breckenridge	Wilkin	(record #2009-039, vote 0-7). Field notes or sketches were not taken at the time of observation. A brief description based on memories was submitted 15 months later. The possiblity of a hybrid between this species and Rose-breasted Grosbeak (P. ludovicianus) was not considered.	Not Accepted
	81:7	2008-05-25	2008-05-27	Sand Lake	Lake	(record #2008-040, vote 2-5). Field notes or sketches were not taken at the time of observation, and documentation was submitted three months after the observation. The possibility of a hybrid between this species and Rosebreasted Grosbeak (P. ludovicianus) was not considered.	Not Accepted
27	82:103	2009-12-18	2010-01-15	Duluth	St. Louis	(record #2009-065, vote 7-0). First county record and first winter record. Photographed (The Loon 82:143).	Accepted
	avian information	2009-12-19	2010-01-07		St. Louis	12/19-1/7 St. Louis (first county record) First-winter male at feeder 12/18 – 1/7 St. Louis (Duluth) ph. PJT, ph. †PHS, ph. †KRE, ph. DAC, ph. LME, m.ob. This is the first winter record for the state.
28	85:99	2013-05-25	2013-05-26	Duluth	St. Louis	(record #2013-024, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed. First spring record for the county. Good photographs and no evidence of hybridization.	Accepted
	avian information	2013-05-25	2013-05-26		St. Louis	5/25-26 St. Louis (second county record) Adult male seen 5/25–26 in St. Louis at a residential feeder near Embarrass ph. †SWn.
	87:4	2014-05-18		Maxwell Township, Section 15	Lac qui Parle	(record #2014-019, first vote 4-3, recirculated vote 2-5). Identification of a female/immature Black-headed Grosbeak can often be a difficult challenge. While this bird was photographed at a feeder, the single photograph permitted only a fairly distant, dorsal view. The photograph itself was not very useful in narrowing down the identification. The Committee felt that the description by an observer inexperienced with the species was lacking too much detail to eliminate Rose-breasted Grosbeak or a possible hybrid grosbeak.	Not Accepted
29	87:95	2015-05-18	2015-05-20	private residence, Brainerd	Crow Wing	(record #2015-013, vote 6-1). Photographed, first county record. The member voting not to accept expressed concern about the bill's apparent pinksh coloring and the indistinct flank streaking.	Accepted
	avian information	2015-05-18	2015-05-20		Crow Wing	5/18, 20 Crow Wing (first county record) Only report 5/18–20 Crow Wing (Brainerd) ph. †JPR, ph. †SBM, ph. EGa, HHD, PSP.
	93:47	2020-09-14		Bloomington	Hennepin	(record #2020-075, vote 2-5). Photographed. The photograph appears to be overexposed and the coloration of the bird blurry. The written details don't offer much by way of diagnostic features needed to separate it from a Rosebreasted Grosbeak or a grosbeak hybrid.	Not Accepted
	95:3	2022-05-07		near the state highway 99 bridge at the east end of Lake Sakatah	Rice	(record #2022-019, original vote 4-3, recirculated vote 1-6). The report lacks details surrounding the circumstances of the brief observation that would have been helpful for the Committee to evaluate the record, such as the amount of time and distance while perched versus in flight. Additionally, some of the written description of the bird is inconsistent with Black-headed Grosbeak.	Not Accepted
30	94:3	2022-05-09		private residence, Coon Rapids near Mississippi River	Anoka	(record #2022-026, vote 7-0). Adult male, photographed. First county record.	Accepted
	avian information	2022-05-09			Anoka	5/9 Anoka (first county record) First spring this species has been reported since 2015:5/9 Anoka (Coon Rapids, adult male) ph. †RLR.
31	95:115	2023-09-18	2023-09-19		Otter Tail	(record #2023-099, vote 6-1). First-year male, photographed. First county record.	Accepted
	avian information	2023-09-18	2023-09-19		Otter Tail	9/18, 19 Otter Tail (first county record)

	Twenty-nine records: 20 spring, 1 spring-summer, 1 summer, 1 summer-fall, 5 fall, and 1 winter. Recorded in three of the last ten years, most recently 2023.

Notes:

The information in the above table comes from several different sources. The count in column 1 indicates which of the sources is considered the primary source.
	'Accepted' MOURC entries from The MOURC Proceedings
	'Not Accepted' or 'Rejected' MOURC entry from The MOURC Proceedings
	Accepted MOU records assembled by David Cahlander
	Sighting records for ()
	Avian information from the occurrence maps, in dark red, assembled by Robert Janssen. Seasonal report for the species/season published in The Loon or The Flicker has been added.
	Information from The Loon index assembled by Anthony Hertzel and David Cahlander