Missouri is home to its fair share of birds all of which rock a multitude of unique plumages from blue, green, brown, yellow and of course red. In this article I will be going over 5 red birds in Missouri you can look out for the next time you go on a hike, that are either completely red or have elements of red on their body.

• Northern Cardinal
• Male Summer Tanager
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird
• House Finch
• Red Headed Woodpecker
• Common Redpoll 
• Rose Breasted Grosbeak 
• Red Winged Blackbird 

9 Red Birds In Missouri

1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis)

• Size: 21 – 23cm
• Weight: 42 – 48 grams
• Wingspan: 30 – 35cm

These cardinals can be found in Missouri year round as it is one of their many permanent residents within north American.

Northern cardinals are recognised by their mohawk like head feathers, red exterior and beak with elements of black across the face. Females also have elements of red on their beaks and their body but at smaller amounts with the majority of their plumage being a light brown color.

These cardinals can be found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, wetlands and can even be brought into your backyard if you have sugar water or seeds that satisfy their taste buds.

As for the food they eat, it consists of small insects like beetles, true bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, flies, spiders, centipedes, and snails. Seeds of weeds, berries among other smaller fruits are part of their diet too.

Northern cardinals are known to live for around 15 years in the wild although the actual number is far less grand.

2. Male Summer Tanager (Piranga Rubra)

• Size: 15 – 18cm
• Weight: 27 – 31 grams
• Wingspan: 28 – 30cm

Summer tanagers, as their name would suggest, can be found is Missouri in the summer months .

Male summer tanagers are recognised by their almost entirely red plumage with a grayish/silver beak. Females on the other hand are almost entirely yellow.

Summer tanagers are usually found within tropical forests of tall trees with an open canopy and mostly prefer to stay in lower elevations. They can reside within habitats that are 1800 meters above sea level too.

These tanagers mostly eat small insects like bees and wasp but will also consume berries and smaller fruits foraged from  backyards, parks among other environments rich with these food sources.

On average summer tanagers are known to live for around 5 years in the wild.

3. Red bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes Carolinus)

• Size: 22.8 – 26.7cm
• Weight: 56 – 97 grams
• Wingspan: 38 – 46cm

Red bellied woodpeckers are permanent residents within Missouri so you’re likely to seem them there year round.

Most would recognise a red bellied woodpecker by the helmet like red streak on their head, their white chest feathers and striped zebra like pattern on their back and wings. Being a woodpecker also means their bills are relatively long and pointy. Females are very similar to males besides the lack of  a red streak on their head

Red bellied woodpeckers tend to enjoy consuming suet, especially nut, insect, or fruit blends as well as fruits like oranges, grapes, apples, sunflower seeds and other smaller insects. 

As for where they spend the majority of  their time, it would be around woodlands and forests, from old oak trees to the lesser aged hardwoods and pines. They can also congregate around feeders within the backyard of Missouri citizens. 

Red bellied woodpeckers are capable of living for around 12 years in the wild.

4. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus Colubris)

• Size: 7 – 9cm
• Weight: 2 – 6 grams
• Wingspan: 8 -11cm

These hummingbirds can be found in Missouri throughout their breeding season which is around March – July.

Ruby throated hummingbirds can be recognised by their plumage that is red, white and green. Their throat is the stand out red part, its breast/stomach white in color and their wings and back an emerald green color. Females aren’t nearly as adventurous with their color scheme being mostly white and green.

As for what they eat, it ranges from small insects, fruits, sugar water from feeders, tree sap and of course the nectar produced by blooming flowers.

Ruby throated hummingbirds tend to stay near environments with flowerbeds as these birds have a very strong metabolism that requires them to feed multiple times per hour. Therefore, you can find them in fields, parks, backyards, and open clearings in forests.

As for how long these tiny little hummingbirds can life for, it’s known to be around 3 – 5 years on average with the longest recorded lifespan just short of 7 years.

5. House Finch (Haemorhous Mexicanus)

• Size: 12.5 – 15cm
• Weight: 19 – 22 grams
• Wingspan: 20 – 25cm

These finches can be found around Missouri year round as it is one of their many permanent residences within north America.

House finches have a red and brown plumage with their body mostly light brown and the head made up of a gradient red color with hints of brown. Females on the other hand are mostly brown with hints of black on their wings and back.

As for where you can find house finches, the number of habitats they stay within are quite vast ranging from dry desert, desert grassland, chaparral, oak savannah, streamsides, and open coniferous forests at elevations below 6,000 feet. 

If the food is to their liking, like black sunflower seeds, these little birds will on occasion make their way to a feeder set out be a Missouri citizen. Other than seeds house finches also eat small insects like aphids as well as fruits and berries.

In the wild, house finches are known to live for around 10 years whilst captive finches can live upwards of 12 years.

6. Red Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus)

• Size: 19 – 25cm
• Weight: 56 – 97 grams
• Wingspan: 40 – 45cm

You’ll find red headed woodpeckers within Missouri on a permanent basis as they are year round residents there.

Red headed woodpeckers are recognised by their red head and their black and white body and wings.

These woodpeckers tend to spend the majority of their time in groves, farm country, orchards, shade trees in towns, large scattered trees where you can find them in forest edges, orchards, open pine woods and the groves of taller trees.

A red headed woodpeckers diet consists of a wide variety of insects which includes spiders, earthworms, different types of nuts, seeds, berries along with other fruits. Sometimes these peckers may even eat small rodents or the contents of another birds eggs.

As for their lifespan, red headed woodpeckers have been known to live up to 10 years in the wild.

7. Common Redpoll (Acanthis)

• Size: 12 – 14cm
• Weight: 11 – 20 grams
• Wingspan: 19 – 22cm

Common redpolls can be found all across Illinois in their fall and winter non-breeding months.

These common redpolls are recognised by their red, white and brown plumage with their forehead and breast mixed with red and white, with the wings a combination of a brown and white color. Females also have a little spot on their forehead but, the remainder of their body is a brown and white color.

You’ll find a common redpoll located around boreal forests of pines, spruces and larches.

As for what these birds eat, it includes seeds from birch, alder and spruce along with a bunch of small insects like caterpillars, beetles, flies etc.

The longest lifespan that was recorded for a redpoll happened to be around 7 years and 10 months but, the majority of redpolls will live a good bit shorter, between the 4 – 5 year range.

8. Rose Breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus Ludovicianus)

• Size: 18 – 22cm
• Weight: 35 – 65 grams
• Wingspan: 29 – 33cm

You’ll typically find rose breasted grosbeaks in southern Missouri when migrating and throughout the remainder of the state when breeding.

Rose breasted grosbeaks are recognised by their black, white and red plumage where their back is black, their wings and wing tail feathers a mixture of black and white with their breast white, with a triangular red shape closer to the neck. Females on the other hand are mostly brown and white.

As for where you can find these grosbeaks, it will often be around deciduous forest, woodlands, parks and gardens.

Rose breasted grosbeaks are known to consume a variety of different food sources such as seeds like sunflower seeds or safflower, small insects as well as berries and other smaller fruits.

These rose breasted grosbeaks are known to live for around 7 years in the wild and significantly longer in captivity, extending to about 24 years there.

9. Red Winged Blackbird (Agelaius Phoeniceus)

• Size:17 – 24cm
• Weight: 70 – 85 grams
• Wingspan: 31 – 40cm

Red winged blackbirds can be found in all of Missouri on a year round basis.

Red winged blackbirds are mostly black but, like the red bellied woodpecker above they do have elements of red on them, which in this case is specifically on their wings.

Females are smaller and look very different from the males and don’t have the defining red patch on their wing. Instead their plumage is mostly a spotty gray/black and white pattern.

These blackbirds can be found in and around freshwater marshes, in wooded or brushy swamps, rank weedy fields, hayfields and the upper edges of salt marshes.

Red winged blackbirds tend to forage for their food, where they may do so around open fields and mudflats. As for what foods they eat, it consist mostly of seeds but smaller insects like flies, snails, bigger prey like lizards, crayfish and fruits are part of their diet too.

They tend to live for around 2 – 3 years in the wild although captive ones have been known to live in the 20 year range.