When do pine grosbeaks arrive in Colorado?
The Pine Grosbeak is a summer breeder in Colorado — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Pine Grosbeak timing in Colorado
- Arrives
- Around April
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- May–July
- Present roughly
- April–August
In Colorado, pine grosbeaks are present through the warm months, arriving around April and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Colorado 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 pine grosbeaks are expected in Colorado. 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 April is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early April — the first pine grosbeaks into Colorado are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around May, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What pine grosbeaks eat while they're here
- Spruce and fir buds, dandelion seeds and insects
An irruptive winter finch — some years it swarms northern feeders, other years it stays in the boreal forest.
Full Pine Grosbeak diet guide → · Best feeder for pine grosbeaks →
Native plants that hold pine grosbeaks in Colorado
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Colorado-native plants are known to attract pine grosbeaks:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.
Fast-growing northern cherry with midsummer fruit.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do pine grosbeaks arrive in Colorado?
pine grosbeaks typically arrive in Colorado around April, with nesting underway by May. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do pine grosbeaks leave Colorado?
Most pine grosbeaks have left Colorado by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do pine grosbeaks stay in Colorado all year?
No — in Colorado the Pine Grosbeak is a summer breeder, present roughly April–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before pine grosbeaks arrive in Colorado?
Have feeders up and clean by early April — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: spruce and fir buds, dandelion seeds and insects.
Sources
- Pine Grosbeak — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Grosbeak life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Grosbeak — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Colorado
- 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.