When I look at evening grosbeaks, I can never decide if they are comical characters or comic book characters. Males have a bold color scheme with a bright yellow shield above their eyes that makes them look like a super hero. However, they can also be kind of goofy, especially when in a large flock, fighting amongst themselves, scolding everyone, landing on top of each other, acting like the Keystone Cops. Their over-sized beaks add to that comical feel. We haven't seen a lot of evening grosbeaks in Boulder County over the past few years. They are one of the "irruptive" finches whose numbers can fluctuate wildly across their extensive range in response to weather and food availability. Look for these comical super heroes in the foothills and mountains this winter while we have a few around.