Evening Grosbeak—Fairly common but erratic winter visitor to forests, wood lots, farmyards, and residential areas throughout. Easiest to see at feeding stations along river bottoms at such places as Fargo, Grand Forks, Valley City, Jamestown, Devils Lake, Bismarck, and Mandan. This species is more regular than some of the other winter visitors from the north, being present in good numbers during most winters.
Pine Grosbeak—Uncommon and erratic winter visitor to forests, wood lots, orchards, farmyards, and residential areas over most of the state. Less common in the southwestern quarter. Look for it at Des Lacs Refuge, throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills, at Turtle River Park, Lindenwood Park and Riverside Cemetery in Fargo, Sully’s Hill Game Preserve, and along wooded river bottoms (such as the Missouri, James, Red, and Sheyenne) across the eastern two-thirds.
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch—Occasional winter visitor to open country in the extreme western part of the state. Most likely in the Little Missouri badlands. Often found in large flocks. Over the rest of the state single birds may show up at feeding stations with flocks of juncos.
Hoary Redpoll—Rare and erratic winter visitor to open country and feeding stations throughout. More common in the eastern half. Usually found with flocks of Common Redpolls. During invasion years it may be uncommon from Bismarck east.
Common Redpoll—Common but erratic winter visitor to open country throughout. Frequents feeding stations in residential areas. Preferred spots include forest edges, weed-filled ditches, dry sloughs, and sunflower fields. Some winters totally absent; when present can usually be found in good numbers almost anywhere.
Red Crossbill—Fairly common but erratic winter visitor to forests, parks, cemeteries, tree lines, and residential areas throughout. Partial to plantings of conifers, but may frequent feeding stations in large numbers. After invasion winters, scattered pairs often nest over much of the state. During good winters often easier to find in the vicinity of Lindenwood Park and Riverside Cemetery in Fargo than elsewhere.
White-winged Crossbill—Rare and erratic winter visitor to woodlands and residential feeding stations throughout. Apparently, more common in the eastern half. Found in the same habitat as the Red Crossbill.
Lark Bunting—Common to abundant summer resident of sage prairies, grasslands, weedy fields, and retired croplands throughout the western two-thirds. Uncommon to rare east of Jamestown. Most abundant in the southwest sector.
Baird’s Sparrow—Fairly common to uncommon summer resident of mixed-grass prairies, alfalfa hayfields, and retired croplands throughout much of the western three-fourths of the state. For the most part rare or absent east of [Stutsman] County. The preferred habitat seems to be mixed-grass prairie dotted with wolfberry and silverberry shrubs. Tall-grass areas bordering prairie potholes and lakes are also frequented. Some of the better areas include Bowman-Haley, Lake Ilo, Lostwood, Des Lacs, Upper Souris, J. Clark Salyer (grasslands tour), Audubon, Arrowwood, and Long Lake Refuges; Longspur Pasture; and the edges of Salt Alkaline Lake. Of these, Longspur Pasture is probably the easiest place to find it.
The Baird’s Sparrow has a song consisting of three short “tic”’s followed by a musical trill, somewhat like the song of the Savannah Sparrow. The song usually given by the Grasshopper Sparrow is similar in pattern, but has more of an insect-like quality to the trill. The Grasshopper Sparrow also has a second song, which is also very similar to that of the Baird’s. With practice you will learn to distinguish between the two, but at first you will have to see the bird to make sure.