Gray Catbirds in Minnesota
When catbirds are present in Minnesota, when they nest, which native Minnesota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.
- Status in Minnesota
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–5b
When to expect catbirds in Minnesota
Gray Catbirds are summer residents in Minnesota, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on ants, beetles and caterpillars.
Continental, with very cold winters and warm summers; prairie in the west, boreal forest in the northeast.
Nesting in Minnesota
Across Minnesota, catbirds typically nest from June–July. Nest site: bulky cup deep in dense thickets or vines. Females lay 1–6 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 10–11 days.
A short, intense breeding season; most nesting runs May through July.
- Gray Catbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, serviceberry, bur oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Minnesota plants that attract catbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Minnesota, these 8 provide food or cover catbirds use:
White fruit and red-stemmed winter cover.
Early-summer fruit.
Acorns and bark insects.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Feeding catbirds through the Minnesota year
Catbirds rarely eat seed but visit oriole jelly feeders and fruiting shrubs; dense thickets bring them in.
- Best foods: Grape jelly, Oranges, Mealworms, Fresh berries.
- In Minnesota's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are catbirds in Minnesota year-round?
No. Gray Catbirds are summer breeders in Minnesota and leave for the winter.
When do catbirds nest in Minnesota?
Nesting in Minnesota typically runs June–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract catbirds in Minnesota?
Red-osier dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Minnesota that provide food or cover for catbirds.
Gray Catbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Minnesota
Sources
- Gray Catbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Gray Catbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Gray Catbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Minnesota
- 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.