Black-headed Grosbeak Range, Habitat + Distribution

The broad-billed rust-colored songbird, the black-headed waxbill, is a spring visitor that arrives in the Midwestern United States and southwestern Canada between March and May each year to breed. At the end of summer, they set off for their wintering grounds in Mexico.

Do you know what kind of habitat the black-headed wax-billed bird likes to breed in? If not, and you’re wondering, read on as we investigate the black-headed wax-billed bird’s habitat.

The black-headed waxbill is a migratory songbird that arrives in March to breed in riverine woodlands, valleys and floodplains in the western United States and southern Canada. Once the breeding season is over, they fly south to spend the winter in the forests of Mexico.

Relatively comfortable in human settlements, black-headed wax-billed birds are increasing in numbers in suburban areas, feeding in backyards (they have a particular preference for sunflower hearts), and even nesting in gardens with tall, dense trees and dense bushes.

In their breeding range, they are not uncommon in western North America, and their distinctive rust-orange and black plumage make them fairly easy to identify.

In winter, all black-headed jaybills leave the United States for warm wintering grounds in the tropical and subtropical forests of Mexico.

To learn more about the landscapes and habitats that may attract this large-billed songbird at different times of year, read on.

From March, the black-headed wax-billed bird is mainly seen in the western United States and southern Canada

What is the distribution range of the black-headed wax-billed bird?

The black-headed waxbill breeds in a variety of habitats in western North America from southwestern Canada to southern Mexico. A migratory species, they spend winters in Mexico and can be seen in much of the western and central United States in fall and spring.

Where does the Black-headed Waxbill live in the United States?

Black-headed waxbills breed in the western United States, with the Great Plains forming the eastern edge of their natural breeding range. By the time winter arrives, all of the birds—except for a few individual stragglers—have left the United States for southern Mexico.

Their migration is unhurried, with long stopovers in the southern and southwestern states, while molting and feeding on berries in late summer and early fall.

In which states do black-headed waxbills live?

At the northernmost end of their range, pairs of black-headed wax-billed birds have successfully established breeding colonies in southeastern Alaska. Further south, the species breeds in North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, New Mexico and parts of Texas in the Far East. In the west, the species is widespread in California, Oregon, and Washington during the spring and summer breeding seasons.

Close-up of a female black-headed wax-billed bird

Where do Black-headed Waxbills live in Canada?

The far southwestern part of Canada welcomes the black-headed waxbill every spring, establishing breeding colonies in south western Saskatchewan, southern Alberta, and southern British Columbia.

What is the habitat of the black-headed wax-billed bird?

Breeding habitats for the black-headed wax-billed bird range from subalpine forests to desert riparian zones. A wooded backyard and dense and diverse undergrowth may also attract nesting pairs, as this species tolerates living and breeding near humans.

Deciduous tree species, including cottonwoods, aspens, willows, and alders, characterize the black-headed waxbill’s preferred habitat.

Populations have increased in recent years, and the species is commonly found in suburban parks and tree-lined backyards.

As population numbers continue to rise, black-headed wax-billed birds are increasingly appearing in backyards

How rare is it to see a Black-headed Waxbill?

The melodious song of the black-headed wax-billed bird can be heard in much of western North America in early spring, and since the species is fairly tolerant of human company and relatively easy to identify, it is not particularly uncommon at certain times of the year in the United States. Westernmost state.

The species is fairly common in the riverine woodlands and foothills of the western United States, where it is widespread during the breeding season.

During fall migrations, large numbers of black-headed waxbills may be seen congregating briefly on fruit trees further south on their way to their wintering grounds in Mexico.

Where is the best place to see black-headed wax-billed birds?

The data showed that California and Oregon had the most black-headed wax-billed birds.

Although they choose bushy or leafy nesting sites, they will occasionally forage in the backyard, especially sunflower hearts, so if you’re in the right part of the country at the right time of year, offer their favorite Seeds might give you a good chance of spotting one.

Black-headed waxbills are relatively common in California and Oregon

When does the black-headed wax-billed bird come out?

Black-headed waxbills are diurnal birds, meaning they forage for most of the day, usually from early morning to evening.

The first black-headed waxbills begin arriving at their spring breeding grounds in late March, with adult males arriving first and adult females five to seven days later.

The further north the breeding grounds are, the later they arrive, with nesting birds in British Columbia not reaching their nesting grounds until May.

Do black-headed jays stay in one place?

Black-headed wax-billed birds are migratory animals, and all populations arrive in western North America in the spring to breed, and then travel to southern Mexico to spend the winter in subtropical and tropical forests.

Black-headed wax-billed bird perched on top of a spruce tree in Vancouver, Canada

Where does the black-headed wax-billed bird live in winter?

Southern Mexico is almost exclusively the wintering ground for all black-headed waxbills. In rare cases, individuals may have been recorded in the southernmost part of the United States or further south into Mesoamerica.

How do black-headed wax-billed birds survive the winter?

Black-headed waxbills winter in tropical and subtropical lowland habitats, including pine and oak forests, returning to their breeding grounds only in early spring when temperatures are tolerable.

Black-headed waxbills molt once the breeding season is over, and once their new plumage is complete, they head south to southern Mexico, arriving between August and October.

The black-headed wax-billed bird is a highly migratory species – a female is pictured perched on a branch

Where does the black-headed wax-billed bird live in summer?

After wintering in the Mexican forests, the black-headed waxbill returns to its breeding grounds in the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada between March and May.

Summer is used to raise young birds, followed by the late summer moult period, during which the birds may spend two or more extended periods at temporary stops, feeding on berries and insects, before heading further south winter.

Do black-headed wax-billed birds live in groups?

During the breeding season, pairs of black-headed jays are territorial and do not welcome other birds intruding into their territory.

Once the nesting is over, this fierce and aggressive instinct disappears, and the birds form in loose flocks during migration, and at the end of their southward journey, large flocks can be seen feeding on berry trees together .