Red-winged Blackbirds in Utah
When red-winged blackbirds are present in Utah, when they nest, which native Utah plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.
- Status in Utah
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–9a
When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Utah
Red-winged Blackbirds live in Utah all year. Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grass seeds and waste grain.
Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.
Nesting in Utah
Across Utah, 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 summers.
- 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 Utah plants that attract red-winged blackbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Utah, these 8 provide food or cover red-winged blackbirds use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
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.
Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Utah 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 Utah's winter: Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards.
Full diet breakdown for red-winged blackbirds · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds
Frequently asked
Are red-winged blackbirds in Utah year-round?
Yes. Red-winged Blackbirds are year-round residents in Utah.
When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Utah?
Nesting in Utah 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 Utah?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak are native plants in Utah that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.
Red-winged Blackbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Utah
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 — Utah
- 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.