Verdins in Utah
When verdins are present in Utah, when they nest, which native Utah plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.
- Status in Utah
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–June
- Broods
- 2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–9a
When to expect verdins in Utah
Verdins live in Utah all year. Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insects, berries and nectar.
Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.
Nesting in Utah
Across Utah, 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.
Hot, dry summers.
- 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 Utah plants that attract verdins
Of the regional native plants we track for Utah, 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 Utah year
Often visits hummingbird feeders in the desert.
- Best foods: Nectar, Suet.
- In Utah's winter: Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards.
Frequently asked
Are verdins in Utah year-round?
Yes. Verdins are year-round residents in Utah.
When do verdins nest in Utah?
Nesting in Utah typically runs March–June, with 2 per season. Clutches are 3–6 eggs, incubated for 14–18 days.
What native plants attract verdins in Utah?
Cardinal flower, Wild bergamot, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Golden currant, Rocky Mountain bee plant are native plants in Utah that provide food or cover for verdins.
Verdins in other regions
Other backyard birds in Utah
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 — Utah
- 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.