Verdins in Nevada
When verdins are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.
- Status in Nevada
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–June
- Broods
- 2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–10a
When to expect verdins in Nevada
Verdins live in Nevada all year. Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insects, berries and nectar.
Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.
Nesting in Nevada
Across Nevada, verdins typically nest from March–June. Nest site: ball of thorny twigs in desert shrubs. Females lay 3–6 eggs, incubate for 14–18 days, and young leave the nest after 17–21 days.
Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.
- Verdins 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 June.
Native Nevada plants that attract verdins
Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover verdins use:
Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
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.
Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Feeding verdins through the Nevada year
Often visits hummingbird feeders in the desert.
- Best foods: Nectar, Suet.
- In Nevada's winter: Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south.
Frequently asked
Are verdins in Nevada year-round?
Yes. Verdins are year-round residents in Nevada.
When do verdins nest in Nevada?
Nesting in Nevada typically runs March–June, with 2 per season. Clutches are 3–6 eggs, incubated for 14–18 days.
What native plants attract verdins in Nevada?
Cardinal flower, Wild bergamot, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Golden currant, Rocky Mountain bee plant are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for verdins.
Verdins in other regions
Other backyard birds in Nevada
Sources
- Verdin — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Verdin life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Verdin — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Nevada
- 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.