In this article I’ll be covering 13 Iowa birds with a significant amount of red on their plumages so, continue reading if you want more detailed look at each of these birds below.

• Northern Cardinal
• House Finch
• Red Headed Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• Red Winged Blackbird
• Red Headed Woodpecker
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Common Redpoll
• Summer Tanager
• Ruby Crowned Kinglet
• Rose Breasted Grosbeak
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird

13 Red Birds In Iowa

1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis)

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

You’ll find northern cardinals in all of Iowa on a year round basis.

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, in smaller amounts, with the majority of their plumage a light brown color.

These cardinals can be found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, wetlands and backyards if the sugar water or seeds in the feeders 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 probably a lot less.

2. House Finch (Haemorhous Mexicanus)

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

House finches are year round residents all across Iowa.

A House finch can be recognised by its 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 by a 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.

3. Red Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus)

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

You’ll find red headed woodpeckers in all of Iowa on a year round basis.

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.

4. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus Pileatus)

• Size: 40 – 49cm
• Weight: 250 – 400 grams
• Wingspan: 75 – 85cm

Pileated woodpeckers can be found in the eastern region of Iowa on a year round basis.

These woodpeckers are recognised by their mohawk like feathers on the top of their head with the remainder of the body black with a white striped pattern along both sides of the head.  The difference between a male and female pileated woodpecker is that males have a red moustache and head feathers whilst females only have red head feathers.

As for where you can find these birds, they’ll congregate around standing dead trees and downed wood. The forests they stay in can be evergreen, deciduous, or mixed whilst often being old. The occasional one can be spotted in backyards and the suburbs too.

Pileated woodpeckers tend to mostly consume carpenter ants along with other ants, woodboring beetle larvae, termites, flies, spruce budworm, caterpillars, cockroaches, and grasshoppers. They will also eat the suet from feeders in backyards.

The oldest recorded lifespan was said to be around 12 years and 11 months although the average lifespan is likely a good deal less.

5. Northern Flicker (Colaptes Auratus)

• Size: 30 – 35cm
• Weight: 115 – 125 grams
• Wingspan: 50 – 55cm

These northern flickers can be found all across Iowa on a year round basis. 

Northern flickers are recognised by their mostly cream colored body with black spots, orange and black tail feathers and elements of red on the lower part of their face. Females look very similar to the males minus the red elements on their face.

You’ll often find northern flickers around woodlands, forest edges, and open fields with scattered trees, as well as city parks and suburbs. 

As for what they tend to eat, it includes mostly insects along with smaller fruits and berries.

Northern flickers are known to live for around 5 – 7 years on average with the longest recorded to be 9 years and 2 months.

6. Red Winged Blackbird (Agelaius Phoeniceus)

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

Red winged blackbirds can be found in all of Iowa 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.

7. Red Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus)

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

Red bellied woodpeckers can be found across all of Iowa on a year round basis.

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.

8. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides Pubescent)

• Size: 14 – 18cm
• Weight: 20 – 33 grams
• Wingspan: 25 – 31cm

You’ll find downy woodpeckers in all of Iowa on a year round basis.

Downy woodpeckers are mostly white and black with the breast white in color and their back and wings a mixture of black and white. The main separation between male and females is that the males have a red spot at the top of their head whilst the females are just white and black.

These woodpeckers spend the majority of their time within forests, woodlots, willows, river groves, orchards and shade trees. 

When in these habitats downy woodpeckers will mostly consume black oil sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts, and chunky peanut butter found within feeders and in occasion even consume sugar water from the feeders designed for hummingbirds.

Downy woodpeckers tend to live for around 2 years on average whilst 5 years is on the longer side.

9. Common Redpoll (Acanthis)

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

Common redpolls can be found all across Iowa throughout their 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.

10. Summer Tanager (Piranga Rubra)

• Size: 15 – 18cm
• Weight: 25 – 35 grams
• Wingspan: 23 – 28cm

Summer tanagers can be found across the southern regions of Iowa when they breed, typically encompassing the spring and summer months. 

Female summer tanagers are small, bright and yellow birds. Their male counterparts are completely red which shows the significant sexual dimorphism between the 2 genders.

You’ll find these birds hanging around open wooded areas, especially in areas with oaks. 

As for what these tanagers eat, it includes mostly bees and wasps but they will occasionally go for smaller fruits and berries in bushes or trees.

These little birds are known to live between 3 – 5 years in the wild.

11. Ruby Crowned Kinglet (Regulus Calendula)

• Size: 9 – 11cm
• Weight: 5 – 10 grams
• Wingspan: 16 – 18cm

Ruby crowned kinglets can be found in all of Iowa when they migrate. 

These kinglets are recognised by their gray and green plumage throughout, besides the red/orange color on the top of their head. Females look almost the same bar the orange/red element on the head.

Ruby crowned kinglets will often be found by tall, dense conifer forests such as spruce, fir, and tamarack.

These kinglets eat the same food sources as most other birds in the wild, which in this case would be small insects, small berries, seeds and other smaller fruits.

As for how long a ring crowned kinglet can live for, it’s estimated to be around 4 – 6 years.

12. Rose Breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus Ludovicianus)

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

Rose breasted grosbeaks can be found across all of Iowa in their spring and summer breeding season.

These 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.

13. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus Colubris)

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

Ruby throated hummingbirds can be found all across Iowa when they breed.

A ruby throated hummingbird can be recognised by their plumage that is red, white and green. Their throat is the red part, its breast/stomach white in color and their wings and back an emerald green color. Females are mostly white and green in color.

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 live for, it’s known to be around 3 – 5 years on average with the longest recorded lifespan just short of 7 years.