New York · Summer breeder

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in New York

When rose-breasted grosbeaks are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus

Status in New York: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–7b

When to expect rose-breasted grosbeaks in New York

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are summer residents in New York, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on beetles, caterpillars and bees.

Humid continental, from cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.

Nesting in New York

Across New York, rose-breasted grosbeaks typically nest from May–July. Nest site: flimsy twig cup in deciduous trees 5–15 ft up. Females lay 1–5 eggs, incubate for 11–14 days, and young leave the nest after 9–12 days.

Warm summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, arrowwood viburnum, eastern white pine for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native New York plants that attract rose-breasted grosbeaks

Of the regional native plants we track for New York, these 8 provide food or cover rose-breasted grosbeaks use:

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Winter fruit.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and insect cover.

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus · Tree

Seeds and year-round shelter.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Fall seed.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Feeding rose-breasted grosbeaks through the New York year

A brief spring feeder visitor in the south; stays to nest in northern deciduous woods.

Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Safflower.
In New York's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for rose-breasted grosbeaks · Best feeder for rose-breasted grosbeaks

Frequently asked

Are rose-breasted grosbeaks in New York year-round?

No. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are summer breeders in New York and leave for the winter.

When do rose-breasted grosbeaks nest in New York?

Nesting in New York typically runs May–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–5 eggs, incubated for 11–14 days.

What native plants attract rose-breasted grosbeaks in New York?

Winterberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Eastern white pine, Black-eyed Susan, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in New York that provide food or cover for rose-breasted grosbeaks.

Other backyard birds in New York

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped 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 Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Fox Sparrow

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.