Washington · Year-round resident

Red Crossbills in Washington

When red crossbills are present in Washington, when they nest, which native Washington plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.

Finches (Fringillidae)Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra

Status in Washington: Year-round resident
Nesting window: January–December
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–9a

When to expect red crossbills in Washington

Red Crossbills live in Washington all year. Mild, wet winters on the Puget Sound; cold winters in the east. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Marine west-coast climate west of the Cascades, semi-arid shrub-steppe to the east.

Nesting in Washington

Across Washington, red crossbills typically nest from January–December. Plan around that window: January for setup, December for clean-out.

Dry, sunny summers west of the Cascades; hot in the Columbia Basin.

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

Native Washington plants that attract red crossbills

Of the regional native plants we track for Washington, these 3 provide food or cover red crossbills use:

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

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 Washington year

Top foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower.
In Washington's winter: Mild, wet winters on the Puget Sound; cold winters in the east.

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

Frequently asked

Are red crossbills in Washington year-round?

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

When do red crossbills nest in Washington?

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

What native plants attract red crossbills in Washington?

Rocky Mountain juniper, Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir are native plants in Washington that provide food or cover for red crossbills.

Other backyard birds in Washington

Black-capped Chickadee 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 Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe 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 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 Gray Catbird Western Tanager Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Clark's Nutcracker Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Band-tailed Pigeon Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Warbling Vireo Western Kingbird 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 Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Bohemian Waxwing Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's 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.