Manitoba · Summer breeder

Yellow-headed Blackbirds in Manitoba

When yellow-headed blackbirds are present in Manitoba, when they nest, which native Manitoba plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 1a–3b yard.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Status in Manitoba: Summer breeder
Nesting window: June–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 1a–3b

When to expect yellow-headed blackbirds in Manitoba

Yellow-headed Blackbirds are summer residents in Manitoba, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent.

Continental, from prairie in the southwest to boreal forest and Hudson Bay tundra in the north.

Nesting in Manitoba

Across Manitoba, yellow-headed blackbirds typically nest from June–July. Plan around that window: May for setup, July for clean-out.

Warm summers with a short, intense nesting season.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, american elderberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Manitoba plants that attract yellow-headed blackbirds

Of the regional native plants we track for Manitoba, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-headed blackbirds use:

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta · Perennial

Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.

Common sunflower

Helianthus annuus · Perennial

Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium · Perennial

Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Feeding yellow-headed blackbirds through the Manitoba year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Millet.
In Manitoba's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for yellow-headed blackbirds · Best feeder for yellow-headed blackbirds

Frequently asked

Are yellow-headed blackbirds in Manitoba year-round?

No. Yellow-headed Blackbirds are summer breeders in Manitoba and leave for the winter.

When do yellow-headed blackbirds nest in Manitoba?

Nesting in Manitoba typically runs June–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.

What native plants attract yellow-headed blackbirds in Manitoba?

Bur oak, American elderberry, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Manitoba that provide food or cover for yellow-headed blackbirds.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds in other regions

Other backyard birds in Manitoba

Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Bluebird White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Gray Catbird Western Tanager Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Burrowing Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Bobolink Brewer's Blackbird Rusty Blackbird 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.