California · Year-round resident

Red Crossbills in California

When red crossbills are present in California, when they nest, which native California plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–11a yard.

Finches (Fringillidae)Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra

Status in California: Year-round resident
Nesting window: December
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5a–11a

When to expect red crossbills in California

Red Crossbills live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Nesting in California

Across California, red crossbills typically nest from December. Plan around that window: November for setup, December for clean-out.

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

Red Crossbills don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as ponderosa pine, douglas fir for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after December.

Native California plants that attract red crossbills

Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 2 provide food or cover red crossbills use:

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

Feeding red crossbills through the California year

Top foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower.
In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

Full diet breakdown for red crossbills · Best feeder for red crossbills

Frequently asked

Are red crossbills in California year-round?

Yes. Red Crossbills are year-round residents in California.

When do red crossbills nest in California?

Nesting in California typically runs December, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 12–16 days.

What native plants attract red crossbills in California?

Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir are native plants in California that provide food or cover for red crossbills.

Other backyard birds in California

Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Purple Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Pine Siskin Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay California Scrub-Jay Mountain Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Oak Titmouse Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch California Towhee Spotted Towhee Gambel's Quail California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Acorn Woodpecker Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Nuttall's Woodpecker Cactus Wren Verdin Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Western Tanager Hooded Oriole Phainopepla Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee California Thrasher Clark's Nutcracker Yellow-billed Magpie Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Band-tailed Pigeon Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Warbling Vireo Western Kingbird Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak Cactus Wren Greater Roadrunner Yellow-billed Cuckoo Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle 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.