Red-winged Blackbirds in New Mexico

Red-winged Blackbirds live in New Mexico all year. Cold nights and sunny days; many desert and mountain birds move to lower elevations. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grass seeds and waste grain.

Arid to semi-arid, with Chihuahuan desert in the south and mountain forest above 7,000 ft.

Across New Mexico, 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.

Hot, dry early summer followed by the July–August monsoon.

• Red-winged Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as black cherry, american elderberry, chokecherry for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

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

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 New Mexico's winter: Cold nights and sunny days; many desert and mountain birds move to lower elevations.

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