When do red crossbills arrive in Arizona?
The Red Crossbill is a winter visitor in Arizona — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Red Crossbill timing in Arizona
- Arrives
- Around November
- Leaves
- By February
- Status here
- Winter visitor
- Present roughly
- November–February
In Arizona, red crossbills are a cold-season bird, arriving around November and heading back north to breed by February.
These windows are set by latitude: Arizona sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here tracks the continental average closely. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when red crossbills are expected in Arizona. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before November is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early November — the first red crossbills into Arizona are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Through the winter, consistent food matters more than variety — birds map dependable stations into their daily routes and rely on them hardest during cold snaps.
What red crossbills eat while they're here
- Conifer seeds; sunflower at feeders in flight years
Nomadic — appears when cone crops fail elsewhere, empties sunflower feeders, then vanishes for years.
Full Red Crossbill diet guide → · Best feeder for red crossbills →
Native plants that hold red crossbills in Arizona
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Arizona-native plants are known to attract red crossbills:
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do red crossbills arrive in Arizona?
red crossbills typically arrive in Arizona around November. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do red crossbills leave Arizona?
Most red crossbills have left Arizona by February. They spend the breeding season farther north and return in the fall.
Do red crossbills stay in Arizona all year?
No — in Arizona the Red Crossbill is a winter visitor, present roughly November–February. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before red crossbills arrive in Arizona?
Have feeders up and clean by early November — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: spruce, pine and fir seeds.
Sources
- Red Crossbill — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red Crossbill life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red Crossbill — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Arizona
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.