North Dakota · Year-round resident

Brown-headed Cowbirds in North Dakota

When cowbirds are present in North Dakota, when they nest, which native North Dakota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–4b yard.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater

Status in North Dakota: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: —
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–4b

When to expect cowbirds in North Dakota

Brown-headed Cowbirds live in North Dakota all year. Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Continental northern prairie with prairie-pothole wetlands and the Missouri River breaks.

Nesting in North Dakota

Across North Dakota, cowbirds typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

Short, warm summers with a peak nesting season in June.

Brown-headed Cowbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, sugar maple for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native North Dakota plants that attract cowbirds

Of the regional native plants we track for North Dakota, these 8 provide food or cover cowbirds use:

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.

Common sunflower

Helianthus annuus · Perennial

Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium · Perennial

Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum · Tree

Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.

Feeding cowbirds through the North Dakota year

Top foods: Millet, Cracked corn.
In North Dakota's winter: Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic.

Full diet breakdown for cowbirds · Best feeder for cowbirds

Frequently asked

Are cowbirds in North Dakota year-round?

Yes. Brown-headed Cowbirds are year-round residents in North Dakota.

When do cowbirds nest in North Dakota?

Nesting in North Dakota typically runs May–July, with —. Clutches are up to 36 eggs per season, one per host nest, incubated for 10–12 days.

What native plants attract cowbirds in North Dakota?

Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Sugar maple are native plants in North Dakota that provide food or cover for cowbirds.

Other backyard birds in North Dakota

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Eastern Screech-Owl Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Black-billed Magpie Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Eastern Meadowlark Golden-crowned Kinglet Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Western Tanager Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Savannah Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

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.