Red-winged Blackbirds in Nevada
When red-winged blackbirds are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.
- Status in Nevada
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–10a
When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Nevada
Red-winged Blackbirds live in Nevada all year. Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grass seeds and waste grain.
Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.
Nesting in Nevada
Across Nevada, 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.
Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.
- Red-winged Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine, gambel oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Nevada plants that attract red-winged blackbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover red-winged blackbirds use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
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.
Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Nevada 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 Nevada's winter: Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south.
Full diet breakdown for red-winged blackbirds · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds
Frequently asked
Are red-winged blackbirds in Nevada year-round?
Yes. Red-winged Blackbirds are year-round residents in Nevada.
When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Nevada?
Nesting in Nevada 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 Nevada?
Wild bergamot, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Rocky Mountain bee plant are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.
Red-winged Blackbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Nevada
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 — Nevada
- 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.