English and Scientific names:	Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus
Number of individuals:	1 immature male
Locality: LOUISIANA:	St Martin Parish
Specific Locality:	Home of Jim Delahoussaye on the Atchafalaya River. 2 miles south of I-10.
Date(s) when observed:	Feb 23, 2010. Present since December 18, 2009.
Time(s) of day when observed:	afternoon
Reporting observer and address:	Dave Patton Lafayette, LA
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	Jim Delahoussaye
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	excellent
Optical equipment:	binocs and photo 300mm lens
Distance to bird(s):	30 feet
Duration of observation:	3 minutes
Habitat:	Backyard feeder on a home site along the Atchafalaya River with some open yard, but mostly wooded swamp and river bank.
Behavior of bird:	Feeding at a seed feeder with about 100 other birds. Most of the other birds were Cardinals and Goldfinches. The feeder was just outside the kicthen window. The BHGR was rather skittish and only stayed a few minutes. This is typical according to Jim and he was not seen every day.
Description:	A little larger than the Cardinals. Heavy seed eater bill that had a bi-colored appearance. Head was stripped with black and orangish white. The stripes were very broad and the auriculars were all black. Throat and breast were a dull orange extending along sides of breast and turning into a white belly. There was a central region of the breast that was a yellow streak. The wings were mostly black with two bold white wing bars. The inner primaries had a few adult fresh feathers with the outer primaries still juvenile. This is a feature of a juvenile bird. The tail also had a mix of juvenile and adult feathers. The adult tail feathers were black with white spots. See photo's.
Voice:	No
Similar species:	Rose-breasted. See photo's.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	Dave Patton 300mm lens.
Previous experience with this species:	A few.
Identification aids:	Sibley's.
This description is written from:	Memory and photo's
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Date and time:	March 3, 2010.