New York · Summer breeder

Indigo Buntings in New York

When indigo buntings are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea

Status in New York: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–August
Broods: 1–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–7b

When to expect indigo buntings in New York

Indigo Buntings are summer residents in New York, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on caterpillars, grasshoppers and beetles.

Humid continental, from cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.

Nesting in New York

Across New York, indigo buntings typically nest from May–August. Nest site: cup in dense shrubs near the ground. Females lay 3–4 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 8–14 days.

Warm summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.

Indigo Buntings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as arrowwood viburnum, eastern white pine, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native New York plants that attract indigo buntings

Of the regional native plants we track for New York, these 8 provide food or cover indigo buntings use:

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and insect cover.

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus · Tree

Seeds and year-round shelter.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Fall seed.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

Feeding indigo buntings through the New York year

Migrates at night by the stars; males sing from utility lines along brushy edges all summer.

Best foods: Nyjer, Millet, Hulled sunflower.
In New York's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for indigo buntings · Best feeder for indigo buntings

Frequently asked

Are indigo buntings in New York year-round?

No. Indigo Buntings are summer breeders in New York and leave for the winter.

When do indigo buntings nest in New York?

Nesting in New York typically runs May–August, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 3–4 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.

What native plants attract indigo buntings in New York?

Arrowwood viburnum, Eastern white pine, Black-eyed Susan, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in New York that provide food or cover for indigo buntings.

Other backyard birds in New York

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Fox Sparrow

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.