Red-winged Blackbirds in Pennsylvania
When red-winged blackbirds are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Pennsylvania
Red-winged Blackbirds are summer residents in Pennsylvania, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on dragonflies, beetles and caterpillars.
Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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 summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- Red-winged Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as black cherry, white oak, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Pennsylvania plants that attract red-winged blackbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover red-winged blackbirds use:
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Full diet breakdown for red-winged blackbirds · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds
Frequently asked
Are red-winged blackbirds in Pennsylvania year-round?
No. Red-winged Blackbirds are summer breeders in Pennsylvania and leave for the winter.
When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Pennsylvania that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.
Red-winged Blackbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
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 — Pennsylvania
- 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.