Indiana · Year-round resident

Red-winged Blackbirds in Indiana

When red-winged blackbirds are present in Indiana, when they nest, which native Indiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus

Status in Indiana: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–July
Broods: 2–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7a

When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Indiana

Red-winged Blackbirds live in Indiana all year. Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grass seeds and waste grain.

Humid continental, from Lake Michigan dunes in the north to the forested hill country of the south.

Nesting in Indiana

Across Indiana, 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, humid summers with frequent storms.

Red-winged Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Indiana plants that attract red-winged blackbirds

Of the regional native plants we track for Indiana, these 8 provide food or cover red-winged blackbirds use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

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

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

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.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Indiana 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 Indiana's winter: Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north.

Full diet breakdown for red-winged blackbirds · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds

Frequently asked

Are red-winged blackbirds in Indiana year-round?

Yes. Red-winged Blackbirds are year-round residents in Indiana.

When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Indiana?

Nesting in Indiana 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 Indiana?

Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Indiana that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.

Other backyard birds in Indiana

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay 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 Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted 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 Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove

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.