Evening Grosbeaks in Ontario
When evening grosbeaks are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect evening grosbeaks in Ontario
Evening Grosbeaks live in Ontario all year. Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward maple, box elder and ash seeds.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, evening grosbeaks typically nest from July. Nest site: loose cup high in conifers. Females lay 2–5 eggs, incubate for 11–14 days, and young leave the nest after 13–14 days.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Evening Grosbeaks don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple, eastern red cedar for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Ontario plants that attract evening grosbeaks
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover evening grosbeaks use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Feeding evening grosbeaks through the Ontario year
Flocks can empty a feeder in a morning during irruption years; populations have declined sharply since the 1980s.
- Best foods: Black-oil sunflower.
- In Ontario's winter: Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Full diet breakdown for evening grosbeaks · Best feeder for evening grosbeaks
Frequently asked
Are evening grosbeaks in Ontario year-round?
Yes. Evening Grosbeaks are year-round residents in Ontario.
When do evening grosbeaks nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 11–14 days.
What native plants attract evening grosbeaks in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Eastern red cedar, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for evening grosbeaks.
Evening Grosbeaks in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- Evening Grosbeak — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Evening Grosbeak life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Evening Grosbeak — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.