Red-winged Blackbird in April
Where red-winged blackbirds are in April, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
April in the Red-winged Blackbird's year
April is when spring migration hits its stride. Waves of migrants move north on warm southerly winds, wintering birds leave for good, and early nesters are already on eggs in the South. Every week brings species that weren't there the week before.
For the Red-winged Blackbird specifically, April is a spring month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 61 states and provinces where red-winged blackbirds occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where red-winged blackbirds are in April
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In April, red-winged blackbirds are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in April
April is inside the Red-winged Blackbird nesting season — about a month earlier in the South and a month later in the North. Nest: woven cup lashed to cattails or shrubs over water. Clutch 2–4 eggs, incubation 11–13 days, 2–3 per season.
In the South the season is already underway, while northern birds are still settling territories — a pair in Florida or Texas may be on eggs weeks before a pair in Minnesota or Ontario has even chosen a nest site. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in April
- Dragonflies, beetles and caterpillars
One of the earliest spring returns in the north; males arrive weeks before females to claim marsh territories.
Migrants arriving after long flights are hungry — feeders can be genuine lifelines during cold, wet spells that suppress insects.
Full Red-winged Blackbird diet guide → · Best feeder for red-winged blackbirds →
Watching red-winged blackbirds this month
In April, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region red-winged blackbirds are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Red-winged Blackbird month by month
Red-winged Blackbird by state
Frequently asked
Where are red-winged blackbirds in April?
In April, red-winged blackbirds are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do red-winged blackbirds nest in April?
Yes — April falls inside the Red-winged Blackbird nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do red-winged blackbirds eat in April?
Dragonflies, beetles and caterpillars.
Sources
- Red-winged Blackbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-winged Blackbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- 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.