Nevada · Summer breeder

Hooded Orioles in Nevada

When hooded orioles are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Hooded OrioleIcterus cucullatus
Status in Nevada
Summer breeder
Nesting window
March–July
Broods
1–2 per season
Hardiness zones
USDA 4a–10a

When to expect hooded orioles in Nevada

Hooded Orioles are summer residents in Nevada, arriving shortly before nesting begins in March and leaving after the young are independent.

Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.

Nesting in Nevada

Across Nevada, hooded orioles typically nest from March–July. Plan around that window: February for setup, July for clean-out.

Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.

  • Hooded Orioles don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine, gambel oak for nest sites.
  • Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Nevada plants that attract hooded orioles

Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover hooded orioles use:

Cardinal flower
Lobelia cardinalis · Perennial

Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil.

Wild bergamot
Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Tall goldenrod
Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Ponderosa pine
Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak
Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Golden currant
Ribes aureum · Shrub

Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.

Rocky Mountain bee plant
Cleome serrulata · Perennial

Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.

Feeding hooded orioles through the Nevada year

  • Top foods: Sugar water, Orange halves.
  • In Nevada's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for hooded orioles · Best feeder for hooded orioles

Frequently asked

Are hooded orioles in Nevada year-round?

No. Hooded Orioles are summer breeders in Nevada and leave for the winter.

When do hooded orioles nest in Nevada?

Nesting in Nevada typically runs March–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.

What native plants attract hooded orioles in Nevada?

Cardinal flower, Wild bergamot, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Golden currant, Rocky Mountain bee plant are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for hooded orioles.

Hooded Orioles in other regions

Other backyard birds in Nevada

Black-capped ChickadeeDowny WoodpeckerHairy WoodpeckerAmerican GoldfinchWhite-breasted NuthatchHouse WrenHouse FinchMourning DoveAmerican RobinDark-eyed JuncoSong SparrowChipping SparrowNorthern FlickerRed-breasted NuthatchBrown CreeperRed-winged BlackbirdEvening GrosbeakPine SiskinNorthern MockingbirdCedar WaxwingTree SwallowBarn SwallowYellow-rumped WarblerEastern KingbirdAmerican Tree SparrowHouse SparrowEuropean StarlingWoodhouse's Scrub-JayBlack-billed MagpieMountain ChickadeeBushtitJuniper TitmousePygmy NuthatchAnna's HummingbirdBlack-chinned HummingbirdBroad-tailed HummingbirdCosta's HummingbirdLesser GoldfinchCassin's FinchSpotted TowheeGambel's QuailCalifornia QuailWestern BluebirdMountain BluebirdSay's PhoebeBlack PhoebeGila WoodpeckerLadder-backed WoodpeckerCactus WrenVerdinBewick's WrenWhite-crowned SparrowFox SparrowViolet-green SwallowBlack-headed GrosbeakLazuli BuntingBullock's OrioleEurasian Collared-DoveWhite-winged DoveAmerican CrowCommon RavenCooper's HawkSharp-shinned HawkRed-tailed HawkGreat Horned OwlAmerican KestrelWild TurkeyMallardGreat Blue HeronBelted KingfisherBrown-headed CowbirdRuby-crowned KingletGolden-crowned KingletHermit ThrushPine GrosbeakRed CrossbillWestern TanagerPhainopeplaBlack-throated SparrowLark SparrowGreen-tailed TowheePinyon JayClark's NutcrackerWestern Screech-OwlHooded MerganserBand-tailed PigeonYellow WarblerCommon YellowthroatAmerican RedstartYellow-breasted ChatOrange-crowned WarblerRed-eyed VireoWarbling VireoLeast FlycatcherWestern KingbirdVermilion FlycatcherAsh-throated FlycatcherCliff SwallowNorthern Rough-winged SwallowBank SwallowCommon NighthawkCanada GooseAmerican CootKilldeerSpotted SandpiperBlack-crowned Night HeronTurkey VultureOspreyBald EagleMerlinPeregrine FalconNorthern Saw-whet OwlBurrowing OwlLewis's WoodpeckerBlack-backed WoodpeckerWhite-headed WoodpeckerSavannah SparrowVesper SparrowSnow BuntingLapland LongspurHorned LarkBlue GrosbeakWhite-winged CrossbillGray-crowned Rosy-FinchBohemian WaxwingCactus WrenGreater RoadrunnerBobolinkYellow-headed BlackbirdBrewer's BlackbirdGreat-tailed GrackleRock Pigeon

Sources

  1. Hooded Oriole — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Hooded Oriole life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Hooded Oriole — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. eBird region overview and bar charts — Nevada
  5. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
  6. 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.