How to attract red-winged blackbirds to your yard
Red-winged Blackbirds respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 61 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Red-winged Blackbird is a year-round resident in 30 states and provinces, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware and 24 more — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 31, such as Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa and 25 more, so set up before spring arrival.
Plant what red-winged blackbirds use
These native plants are tied to the Red-winged Blackbird in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 43 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 42 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial | 42 | Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 39 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 37 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | 30 | Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 29 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 28 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial | 24 | Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (tree, shrub, perennial). Layering matters: mixing tree, shrub, perennial gives red-winged blackbirds food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Insects in summer; seeds and grain the rest of the year.
- Warm months
- Dragonflies, beetles and caterpillars
- Cold months
- Grass seeds and waste grain
- At feeders
- Cracked corn, Millet, Sunflower
Feeder style matters as much as food: platform / tray feeder is the first choice for this bird. One of the earliest spring returns in the north; males arrive weeks before females to claim marsh territories. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Woven cup lashed to cattails or shrubs over water.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 2–4 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–13 days
- Nestling period
- 11–14 days
- Broods per year
- 2–3 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around March in Alabama but not until May in Yukon. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts red-winged blackbirds to a yard?
Food they actually eat (cracked corn, millet, sunflower), native plants such as Black cherry, American elderberry, Wild bergamot, clean water and suitable nesting cover: woven cup lashed to cattails or shrubs over water.
What plants attract red-winged blackbirds?
Across the Red-winged Blackbird's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Black cherry (Prunus serotina), American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White oak (Quercus alba). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting red-winged blackbirds?
Nesting starts around March in Alabama and as late as May in Yukon. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Red-winged Blackbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-winged Blackbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-winged Blackbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- 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.