Pine Grosbeaks in Alaska
When pine grosbeaks are present in Alaska, when they nest, which native Alaska plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 1a–8a yard.
- Status in Alaska
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1a–8a
When to expect pine grosbeaks in Alaska
Pine Grosbeaks live in Alaska all year. Interior winters reach −40°F with under four hours of daylight; resident chickadees and redpolls depend on high-fat food. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.
Subarctic interior, temperate rainforest in the Southeast panhandle, and Arctic tundra on the North Slope.
Nesting in Alaska
Across Alaska, pine grosbeaks typically nest from June–July. Plan around that window: May for setup, July for clean-out.
A short, explosive summer with near-continuous daylight compresses nesting into a few weeks.
- Pine Grosbeaks don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, western serviceberry, salal for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Alaska plants that attract pine grosbeaks
Of the regional native plants we track for Alaska, these 8 provide food or cover pine grosbeaks use:
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.
Dark berries and evergreen understory cover.
Spring flowers for Rufous Hummingbirds, early fruit for thrushes.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Persistent cones in boreal bogs.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Low evergreen with winter-persistent red fruit.
Feeding pine grosbeaks through the Alaska year
- Top foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower.
- In Alaska's winter: Interior winters reach −40°F with under four hours of daylight; resident chickadees and redpolls depend on high-fat food.
Full diet breakdown for pine grosbeaks · Best feeder for pine grosbeaks
Frequently asked
Are pine grosbeaks in Alaska year-round?
Yes. Pine Grosbeaks are year-round residents in Alaska.
When do pine grosbeaks nest in Alaska?
Nesting in Alaska typically runs June–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days.
What native plants attract pine grosbeaks in Alaska?
Red-osier dogwood, Western serviceberry, Salal, Salmonberry, White spruce, Black spruce, Tamarack, Bearberry are native plants in Alaska that provide food or cover for pine grosbeaks.
Pine Grosbeaks in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alaska
Sources
- Pine Grosbeak — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Grosbeak life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pine Grosbeak — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alaska
- 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.