Nevada has the good fortune of being among the states with a high probability of encountering a diverse range of crimson-hued avian species.
Finches and Tanagers are frequently observed as red-feathered birds, but there exist several distinct varieties to acquaint oneself with.
A total of 13 red bird species have been sighted in Nevada. Among them, 6 species are regularly documented on state checklists, while an additional 7 species are regarded as infrequent or accidental visitors.
This handbook will aid in the identification of red birds in Nevada based on avibase records. Some of these birds undertake seasonal migrations, while others remain in the region year-round.
To facilitate the identification of all visiting avifauna in your backyard, you can obtain a complimentary bird identification worksheet specifically designed for Nevada.
The House Finch stands out as the most commonly encountered red bird in both summer and winter within Nevada. While most species are more prevalent during the summer months, further information regarding these crimson-hued avians in Nevada can be gleaned by delving into the following details.
13 Red Birds in Nevada:
1. House Finch
House Finches are abundantly present throughout the year as crimson-clad avians within Nevada.
The males of this species possess a red head and breast, while the females display a brown-streaked plumage.
Size: 5.1-5.5 inches (13-14 cm)
Weight: 0.6-0.9 ounces (16-27 g)
Wingspan: 7.9-9.8 inches (20-25 cm)
Initially restricted to western states, they have successfully expanded their range to the eastern regions, even outcompeting the Purple Finch.
These birds can be found in parks, farms, forest edges, and backyard feeders. They tend to form noisy groups that are hard to overlook.
Attracting House Finches to your backyard feeders can be achieved by offering black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube or platform feeders.
2. Cassin’s Finch
Cassin’s Finches are year-round residents of Nevada, although they are more commonly sighted during the summer season.
These finches exhibit a red crown, rosy pink head, red-breasted appearance with a whitish belly, and brown backs and wings.
Size: 6.3 inches (16 cm)
Weight: 0.8-1.2 ounces (24-34 g)
Wingspan: 9.8-10.6 inches (25-27 cm)
They can be found in mountainous forests across western states, often foraging in flocks for seeds.
While not as frequently observed in backyards compared to House or Purple Finches, Cassin’s Finches can be attracted with sunflower seed feeders, especially during winter, or by providing fruiting shrubs such as cotoneaster, mulberries, firethorn, grapes, and apples.
3. Red Crossbill
Red Crossbills, although not particularly abundant in Nevada, can be encountered throughout the year.
Male Red Crossbills sport a red plumage with darker wings and tails, while females exhibit yellow and brown coloring.
They can be found year-round in northern and western states and migrate to eastern states during winter.
These birds primarily feed on conifer seeds, often traversing from tree to tree in flocks, even using their powerful beaks to pry open unopened cones. In addition to coniferous forests, they can be spotted along roadsides, consuming grit in the mornings.
4. Summer Tanager
While Summer Tanagers are not frequently observed in Nevada, they can be sighted between May and October, primarily in the southern part of the state.
Male Summer Tanagers display vibrant red plumage, while females exhibit a yellow coloration.
Scientific Name: Piranga rubra
Size: 6.7 inches (17 cm)
Weight: 1.1 ounce (30 g)
Summer Tanagers breed in southern and eastern states before migrating to Central and South America for the winter season.
These forest-dwelling songbirds are often found in open woodlands, where they feed on bees and wasps in mid-flight. They have a unique hunting technique of catching their prey, beating them against a branch to remove the stinger before consuming them.
To attract more Summer Tanagers to your backyard, consider planting berry bushes and fruit trees.
5. Purple Finch
Purple Finches are considered accidental visitors to Nevada, although they have been occasionally spotted around Las Vegas, mainly during the winter season.
These finches bear a resemblance to House Finches, with reddish-purple heads and breasts, accompanied by a brownish hue on their back and wings.
Size: 4.7-6.3 inches (12-16 cm)
Weight: 0.6-1.1 ounces (18-32 g)
Wingspan: 8.7-10.2 inches (22-26 cm)
Purple Finches breed in Canada and migrate to eastern states for the winter. However, they can be found year-round in the northeastern and Pacific coastal regions.
These birds are often spotted in evergreen forests, where they feed on seeds, buds, nectar, and berries.
They readily visit feeders for black oil sunflower seeds.
6. Pine Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeaks are rare visitors to Nevada, but they have been observed in the Great Basin National Park and the mountains in Jarbidge.
These finches are characterized by their crimson plumage in males, with gray wings and tail, and two white wingbars. Females have a gray body with a dull orange head and rump. They are larger in size compared to other finch species and tend to have a slower flight.
Scientific Name: Pinicola enucleator
Size: 7.9-9.8 inches (20-25 cm)
Wingspan: 13.0 inches (33 cm)
Pine Grosbeaks are primarily found in Canada, although some individuals can be spotted along the US border, in the mountainous west, and the Sierra Nevada in California.
These birds inhabit forests of pine, spruce, and fir trees, feeding on seeds, fruits, and buds. During the summer, they may also consume insects.
Attract Pine Grosbeaks to your backyard by offering black oil sunflower seeds or suet feeders.
7. Painted Bunting
Painted Buntings are considered accidental visitors to Nevada, but they have been sighted, particularly around the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
Male Painted Buntings display a vibrant and colorful patchwork of red underneath, with bright blue heads, green wings, and backs. Females exhibit a bright yellow-green coloration.
Scientific Name: Passerina ciris
Size: 4.7-5.1 inches (12-13 cm)
Weight: 0.5-0.7 ounces (13-19 g)
Painted Buntings breed in select states within the south-central and southeastern US, before migrating to Central America, southern Florida, and certain Caribbean islands.
These birds can be found in semi-open habitats, mainly foraging for seeds and insects during the breeding season.
To attract Painted Buntings to your yard, provide low, dense vegetation and fill feeders with white millet or black oil sunflower seeds.
8. Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanagers are considered accidental or rare species in Nevada, but they have been spotted in the southern part of the state, near the Red Rock Canyon and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.
Scarlet Tanagers are striking birds with bright red plumage and black wings and tails. Females exhibit yellowish coloration with darker wings and tails.
Scientific Name: Piranga olivacea
Size: 6.3-6.7 inches (16-17 cm)
Weight: 0.8-1.3 ounces (23-38 g)
Wingspan: 9.8-11.4 inches (25-29 cm)
These tanagers breed in eastern forests during the summer and migrate to South America for the winter.
Scarlet Tanagers tend to stay high in the forest canopy, making them somewhat challenging to spot. Planting berry-producing plants such as blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, juneberries, serviceberries, mulberries, strawberries, and chokeberries can attract more of these vibrant birds to your surroundings.
9. Common Redpoll
Common Redpolls are rare and elusive in Nevada, but they have been spotted near Spring Creek during winter.
These small finches have red foreheads, pinkish breasts, and a combination of brown and white plumage across the rest of their bodies.
Scientific Name: Acanthis flammea
Size: 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm)
Weight: 0.4-0.7 ounces (11-20 g)
Wingspan: 7.5-8.7 inches (19-22 cm)
Common Redpolls are typically found in winter in northern states, with occasional sightings in central states. During winter nights, they may even burrow into the snow to stay warm. They have an impressive appetite, consuming up to 42% of their body mass in seeds daily and storing up to 2 grams of seeds in a stretchy part of their esophagus.
These finches can be found in weedy fields or feeding on catkins in trees. They are attracted to feeders offering small seeds like nyjer seeds or thistle.
10. Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinals are considered accidental species of red birds in Nevada, although there have been a few recorded sightings near Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.
Male Northern Cardinals are known for their vibrant red plumage on the head, body, and tail, complemented by black accents around their faces. Females also exhibit striking features with brown coloring, a sharp brown crest, red highlights, and red beaks.
Size: 8.3-9.1 inches (21-23 cm)
Weight: 1.5-1.7 ounces (42-48 g)
Wingspan: 9.8-12.2 inches (25-31 cm)
Northern Cardinals are primarily found in eastern and southern states. During the breeding season, they may engage in aggressive behavior, attacking their own reflections as they defend their territories.
To attract more Northern Cardinals to your backyard, provide sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, and milo in large tube feeders, hoppers, platform feeders, or scattered on the ground.
11. White-winged Crossbill
White-winged Crossbills are accidental species in Nevada, but they have been spotted in Elko.
These finches possess distinctive crossed beaks. Males exhibit red plumage, black wings and tails, and two white wingbars. Females, on the other hand, display yellow and brown coloring with two white wingbars.
Scientific Name: Loxia leucoptera
Size: 5.9-6.7 inches (15-17 cm)
Weight: 0.8-0.9 ounces (24-26 g)
Wingspan: 10.2-11.0 inches (26-28 cm)
White-winged Crossbills primarily inhabit forests in Canada, Alaska, and occasionally northern US states when cone crops are scarce further north. They can be found in spruce forests, where they feed on seeds.
One interesting aspect of White-winged Crossbills is their ability to breed at any time of year as long as there is sufficient food available.
These birds often gather in large flocks, and their distinctive calls can be heard echoing through the trees.
12. Hepatic Tanager
Hepatic Tanagers are extremely rare visitors to Nevada and are considered accidental species, but they have been spotted in Mt. Charleston.
Male Hepatic Tanagers display red plumage with some gray on their back, while females exhibit yellow coloration.
Scientific Name: Piranga flava
Size: 3.5-7.9 inches (8.8-20 cm)
Weight: 0.8-1.7 ounces (23-47 g)
Wingspan: 12.6 inches (32 cm)
Hepatic Tanagers breed in southwestern states and Mexico before migrating to spend the winter in Mexico, Central, and South America.
These birds can be found in mountain ranges with pine or pine and oak woodlands, where they feed on insects and spiders. They also consume berries such as cherry and grapes.
13. Pyrrhuloxia
Pyrrhuloxias are exceedingly rare red birds in Nevada. In fact, there is only one record of their sighting in the state near Henderson.
Male Pyrrhuloxias have a gray body with extensive red coloring on the face, crest, breast, and tail. Females, on the other hand, have a dull gray appearance with less red coloring.
Scientific Name: Cardinalis sinuatus
Size: 8.3 inches (21 cm)
Weight: 0.8-1.5 ounces (24-43 g)
Pyrrhuloxias are residents of the hot deserts in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico.
During the breeding season, they fiercely defend their territories. In winter, they may gather in flocks of up to 1000 individuals.
Pyrrhuloxias primarily feed on seeds but also consume insects. They can be attracted to feeders offering sunflower seeds, although they often prefer seeds scattered on the ground.
That concludes the descriptions of the 13 red bird species found in Nevada. If you have any further questions or need more information, feel free to ask!