Virginia · Summer breeder

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in Virginia

When rose-breasted grosbeaks are present in Virginia, when they nest, which native Virginia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–8a yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus

Status in Virginia: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–8a

When to expect rose-breasted grosbeaks in Virginia

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are summer residents in Virginia, 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 subtropical in the east, cooler and snowier in the Blue Ridge and Allegheny highlands.

Nesting in Virginia

Across Virginia, 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, humid summers; House Wrens and hummingbirds breed statewide.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, spicebush, winterberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Virginia plants that attract rose-breasted grosbeaks

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

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fall fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

High-fat red berries and caterpillar host.

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Winter fruit.

Trumpet honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens · Vine

Nectar and small fruit.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Winter cover.

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.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Feeding rose-breasted grosbeaks through the Virginia year

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

Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Safflower.
In Virginia'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 Virginia year-round?

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

When do rose-breasted grosbeaks nest in Virginia?

Nesting in Virginia 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 Virginia?

Flowering dogwood, Spicebush, Winterberry, Trumpet honeysuckle, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Virginia that provide food or cover for rose-breasted grosbeaks.

Other backyard birds in Virginia

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina 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-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin 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 White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove

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.