Nevada · Summer breeder

Western Tanagers in Nevada

When western tanagers are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Western TanagerPiranga ludoviciana

Status in Nevada: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–10a

When to expect western tanagers in Nevada

Western Tanagers are summer residents in Nevada, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent.

Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.

Nesting in Nevada

Across Nevada, western tanagers typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.

Western Tanagers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, red-osier dogwood, rocky mountain juniper for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Nevada plants that attract western tanagers

Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover western tanagers use:

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea · Shrub

White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Golden currant

Ribes aureum · Shrub

Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.

Western serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia · Shrub

Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.

Feeding western tanagers through the Nevada year

Top foods: Orange halves, Grape jelly (during migration).
In Nevada's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for western tanagers · Best feeder for western tanagers

Frequently asked

Are western tanagers in Nevada year-round?

No. Western Tanagers are summer breeders in Nevada and leave for the winter.

When do western tanagers nest in Nevada?

Nesting in Nevada typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13 days.

What native plants attract western tanagers in Nevada?

Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Golden currant, Western serviceberry are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for western tanagers.

Western Tanagers in other regions

Alberta Arizona British Columbia California Colorado Idaho Kansas Manitoba Montana Nebraska New Mexico North Dakota Northwest Territories Oklahoma Oregon Saskatchewan South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming Yukon

Other backyard birds in Nevada

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Gambel's Quail California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Verdin Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Hooded Oriole Phainopepla Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Pinyon Jay Clark's Nutcracker Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Band-tailed Pigeon Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Cactus Wren Greater Roadrunner Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Rock Pigeon

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.