Ohio · Year-round resident

Red-winged Blackbirds in Ohio

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

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus

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

When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Ohio

Red-winged Blackbirds live in Ohio all year. Snow and sub-freezing stretches are routine; Carolina Chickadees hold the south and Black-capped the 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; cold winters and warm summers, with Lake Erie moderating the north coast.

Nesting in Ohio

Across Ohio, 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; western Lake Erie marshes are a major migration stopover.

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

Native Ohio plants that attract red-winged blackbirds

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

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

High-fat fall berries.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Summer nectar and fall seed.

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea · Perennial

Seed heads.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

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.

Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Ohio 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 Ohio's winter: Snow and sub-freezing stretches are routine; Carolina Chickadees hold the south and Black-capped the north.

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

Frequently asked

Are red-winged blackbirds in Ohio year-round?

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

When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Ohio?

Nesting in Ohio 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 Ohio?

Serviceberry, Spicebush, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Flowering dogwood, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Ohio that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.

Other backyard birds in Ohio

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 Evening 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.