Perch Supply
Diet

What do red-winged blackbirds eat?

Insects in summer; seeds and grain the rest of the year.

Blackbirds (Icteridae)Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus

Spring and summer diet

  • Dragonflies, beetles and caterpillars

Fall and winter diet

  • Grass seeds and waste grain

Best feeder foods

  • Cracked corn
  • Millet
  • Sunflower

One of the earliest spring returns in the north; males arrive weeks before females to claim marsh territories.

Which feeder works best for red-winged blackbirds →

Where red-winged blackbirds need winter food

Regions where red-winged blackbirds are present in the cold months:

AlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMarylandMississippiMissouriNevadaNew JerseyNew MexicoNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOregonSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWest Virginia

Frequently asked

What do red-winged blackbirds eat?

Insects in summer; seeds and grain the rest of the year.

What is the best food to feed red-winged blackbirds?

Cracked corn, Millet, Sunflower.

What do red-winged blackbirds eat in winter?

Grass seeds and waste grain.

Sources

  1. Red-winged Blackbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Red-winged Blackbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Red-winged Blackbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

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.