Red-winged Blackbirds in Colorado
When red-winged blackbirds are present in Colorado, when they nest, which native Colorado plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–7b yard.
- Status in Colorado
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–7b
When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Colorado
Red-winged Blackbirds live in Colorado all year. Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grass seeds and waste grain.
Semi-arid high plains in the east and the Rocky Mountains through the center, with most backyards between 5,000 and 7,000 ft.
Nesting in Colorado
Across Colorado, red-winged blackbirds typically nest from April–July. Nest site: woven cup lashed to cattails or shrubs over water. Females lay 2–4 eggs, incubate for 11–13 days, and young leave the nest after 11–14 days.
Warm, dry days and cool nights; afternoon storms are common in July and August.
- Red-winged Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Colorado plants that attract red-winged blackbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Colorado, these 8 provide food or cover red-winged blackbirds use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Colorado year
One of the earliest spring returns in the north; males arrive weeks before females to claim marsh territories.
- Best foods: Cracked corn, Millet, Sunflower.
- In Colorado's winter: Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly.
Full diet breakdown for red-winged blackbirds · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds
Frequently asked
Are red-winged blackbirds in Colorado year-round?
Yes. Red-winged Blackbirds are year-round residents in Colorado.
When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Colorado?
Nesting in Colorado typically runs April–July, with 2–3 per season. Clutches are 2–4 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract red-winged blackbirds in Colorado?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine are native plants in Colorado that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.
Red-winged Blackbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Colorado
Sources
- Red-winged Blackbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-winged Blackbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-winged Blackbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Colorado
- 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.