Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in Pennsylvania
When rose-breasted grosbeaks 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
- May–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
When to expect rose-breasted grosbeaks in Pennsylvania
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are summer residents in Pennsylvania, 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; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- Rose-breasted Grosbeaks don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, black cherry, white oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Pennsylvania plants that attract rose-breasted grosbeaks
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover rose-breasted grosbeaks use:
Winter fruit.
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Feeding rose-breasted grosbeaks through the Pennsylvania year
A brief spring feeder visitor in the south; stays to nest in northern deciduous woods.
- Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Safflower.
- In Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania year-round?
No. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are summer breeders in Pennsylvania and leave for the winter.
When do rose-breasted grosbeaks nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Winterberry, Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in Pennsylvania that provide food or cover for rose-breasted grosbeaks.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
Sources
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak — 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.