Red-winged Blackbirds in Virginia
When red-winged blackbirds are present in Virginia, when they nest, which native Virginia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–8a yard.
- Status in Virginia
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–8a
When to expect red-winged blackbirds in Virginia
Red-winged Blackbirds live in Virginia all year. Moderate winters with periodic snow; purple finches and occasional northern finches visit feeders. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grass seeds and waste grain.
Humid subtropical in the east, cooler and snowier in the Blue Ridge and Allegheny highlands.
Nesting in Virginia
Across Virginia, 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; House Wrens and hummingbirds breed statewide.
- Red-winged Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, spicebush, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Virginia plants that attract red-winged blackbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for Virginia, these 8 provide food or cover red-winged blackbirds use:
Fall fruit.
High-fat red berries and caterpillar host.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Feeding red-winged blackbirds through the Virginia 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 Virginia's winter: Moderate winters with periodic snow; purple finches and occasional northern finches visit feeders.
Full diet breakdown for red-winged blackbirds · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds
Frequently asked
Are red-winged blackbirds in Virginia year-round?
Yes. Red-winged Blackbirds are year-round residents in Virginia.
When do red-winged blackbirds nest in Virginia?
Nesting in Virginia 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 Virginia?
Flowering dogwood, Spicebush, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Wild bergamot are native plants in Virginia that provide food or cover for red-winged blackbirds.
Red-winged Blackbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in Virginia
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 — Virginia
- 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.