The adult male Black-headed Grosbeak is an impressive visitor with his deep orange breast, collar and underparts, black head and upperparts, white undertail coverts, white wing bars and wing patches and white spots in a black tail. The male in Fall and Winter is duller and browner. The adult female has black and white crown stripes, buffy underparts with streaking at the sides. She is very similar to the female Rose-breasted Grosbeak but has buffier breast and the streaking is confined to the sides.
Immature Grosbeaks have plumages that are similar to the adult female.
Their song is mellodious and resembles that of a Robin's but is more fluent and mellow. The note is a sharp ik or eek. This Grosbeak breeds in open woodlands and forest edges. The nest, a loose saucer, is located in a tree or bush. There three to four blueish-green spotted eggs are laid.