Connecticut · Winter visitor

Pine Grosbeaks in Connecticut

When pine grosbeaks are present in Connecticut, when they nest, which native Connecticut plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7b yard.

Finches (Fringillidae)Pine GrosbeakPinicola enucleator

Status in Connecticut: Winter visitor
Nesting window: Does not typically nest here
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7b

When to expect pine grosbeaks in Connecticut

In Connecticut, pine grosbeaks are winter visitors rather than breeders. Snowy winters with regular nor'easters; feeders carry chickadees, titmice and juncos through January and February.

Humid continental with maritime moderation along Long Island Sound.

Native Connecticut plants that attract pine grosbeaks

Of the regional native plants we track for Connecticut, these 8 provide food or cover pine grosbeaks use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

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

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Feeding pine grosbeaks through the Connecticut year

Top foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower.
In Connecticut's winter: Snowy winters with regular nor'easters; feeders carry chickadees, titmice and juncos through January and February.

Full diet breakdown for pine grosbeaks · Best feeder for pine grosbeaks

Frequently asked

Are pine grosbeaks in Connecticut year-round?

No. Pine Grosbeaks are winter visitors in Connecticut and do not typically nest there.

What native plants attract pine grosbeaks in Connecticut?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Connecticut that provide food or cover for pine grosbeaks.

Other backyard birds in Connecticut

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren 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 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting 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 Fox Sparrow American Crow Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Horned Lark Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Rock Pigeon Monk Parakeet

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.