Northwest Territories · Year-round resident

Pine Grosbeaks in Northwest Territories

When pine grosbeaks are present in Northwest Territories, when they nest, which native Northwest Territories plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1a yard.

Finches (Fringillidae)Pine GrosbeakPinicola enucleator

Status in Northwest Territories: Year-round resident
Nesting window: June–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 0a–1a

When to expect pine grosbeaks in Northwest Territories

Pine Grosbeaks live in Northwest Territories all year. Extremely cold, dark winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Subarctic boreal forest in the south, Arctic tundra in the north.

Nesting in Northwest Territories

Across Northwest Territories, pine grosbeaks typically nest from June–July. Plan around that window: May for setup, July for clean-out.

Brief summers with midnight sun.

Pine Grosbeaks don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as pin cherry, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Northwest Territories plants that attract pine grosbeaks

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

Pin cherry

Prunus pensylvanica · Tree

Fast-growing northern cherry with midsummer fruit.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea · Shrub

White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.

Highbush cranberry

Viburnum trilobum · Shrub

Red fruit persists until late winter when other food is gone.

Western serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia · Shrub

Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.

Balsam fir

Abies balsamea · Tree

Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.

White spruce

Picea glauca · Tree

Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.

Black spruce

Picea mariana · Tree

Persistent cones in boreal bogs.

Feeding pine grosbeaks through the Northwest Territories year

Top foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower.
In Northwest Territories's winter: Extremely cold, dark winters.

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

Frequently asked

Are pine grosbeaks in Northwest Territories year-round?

Yes. Pine Grosbeaks are year-round residents in Northwest Territories.

When do pine grosbeaks nest in Northwest Territories?

Nesting in Northwest Territories 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 Northwest Territories?

Pin cherry, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Western serviceberry, Balsam fir, White spruce, Black spruce are native plants in Northwest Territories that provide food or cover for pine grosbeaks.

Other backyard birds in Northwest Territories

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow Canada Jay White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush American Crow Common Raven Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Red Crossbill Western Tanager Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

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.