In this article I’ll be going over 13 red birds that can be found across the state of North Dakota so continue reading for a more detailed look at each bird below.

• Ruby Crowned Kinglet
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Flicker
• Red Winged Blackbird
• Pine Grosbeak
• Rose Breasted Grosbeak
• Scarlet Tanger
• White Winged Crossbill
• Common Redpoll
• Western Tanager
• Red Headed Woodpecker
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird
• Downy Woodpecker

13 Red Birds In North Dakota

1. Ruby Crowned Kinlet (Regulus Calendula)

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

Ruby crowned kinglets can be found all throughout North Dakota when migrating.

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.

2. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis)

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

You’ll find northern cardinals in southeast North Dakota 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.

3. Northern Flicker (Colaptes Auratus)

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

These northern flickers can be found all across North Dakota 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.

4. Red Winged Blackbird (Agelaius Phoeniceus)

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

Red winged blackbirds can be found in the northeast and southwest North Dakota when breeding and in the remainder of the state 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.

5. Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola Enucleator)

• Size: 20 – 25.5cm
• Weight: 52 – 58 grams
• Wingspan: 31 – 35cm

You’ll find pine grosbeaks in North Dakota in their non-breeding season. 

Pine grosbeaks are recognised by their greyish white wings and tail feathers, a redish pink body and head along with a black beak and feet. Female grosbeaks are not nearly as vibrant as the males with their plumage a generally light gray color with hints of orange around the torso and tail.

Pine grosbeaks spend the majority of their time within coniferous woods where the may straddle on a horizontal branch when resting and hunt for small insects, seeds, buds, berries among other refreshing fruits when on the move.

These birds are known to live up till 9 years old, sometimes even more so they have a moderately long lifespans for birds of their size.

6. Rose Breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus Ludovicianus)

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

Rose breasted grosbeaks can be found across eastern North Dakota when breeding and in the remainder of the state when migrating.

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.

7. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga Olivacea)

• Size: 16 – 19cm
• Weight: 27 – 32 grams
• Wingspan: 25 – 30cm

You’ll find scarlet tanagers in eastern North Dakota when breeding.

Scarlet tanagers are recognised by their scarlet plumage, black wing and triangular silver/gray beak. Females are actually different in color to their male counterparts where their plumage is green with black wings.

These tanagers can be found within deciduous forest where oak maple, beech, and other trees are common. They also stay within mixed pine-oak woods, and occasionally in coniferous woods dominated by pine or hemlock.

As for what scarlet tanagers eat, it mostly consists of insects like caterpillars, moths, beetles, wasps, bees, aphids, berries and small fruits.

Scarlet tanagers can live up to 12 years in the wild although the actual lifespan for most scarlets will likely be far lower.

8. White Winged Crossbill (Loxia Leucoptera)

• Size: 15 – 17cm
• Weight: 24 – 30 grams
• Wingspan: 26 – 28cm

White winged crossbills can be found in North Dakota throughout their non-breeding fall and winter months.

These white winged crossbill (also called two barred crossbills) are recognised by their red plumage across the head and body, black wings with white stripes and their downward pointing bill that crosses over itself. On the other hand females are mostly gray and green in color.

These crossbills can be found living in montane coniferous forests among boreal trees with mature spruce and larch. As for what the two barred crossbill eat, it includes pine cones, grass, docks, thrift seeds as well as smaller insects like caterpillars, aphids, spiders etc.

White winged crossbills are also known to live for around 4 years in the wild although the numbers may differ for captive ones.

9. Common Redpoll (Acanthis)

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

Common redpolls can be found all across North Dakota 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.

10. Western Tanager (Piranga Ludoviciana)

• Size: 16 – 19cm
• Weight: 24 – 36 grams
• Wingspan: 27 – 31cm

You’ll be able find western Tanager in the western region of North Dakota when migrating.

Western Tanagers are recognised by their red head, yellow body and their gray wings with yellowish/white stripes. The females are yellow too although it’s color is more dirty yellow with gray/black wings.

Western tanagers can be found within Open conifer or mixed forests.

Within these environments they will consume a variety of food sources like smaller fruits and berries like mulberries and elderberries as well as insects like wasps, bees, ants, beetles, grasshoppers, termites, cicada among other smaller insects.

Western tanagers tend to live upto 7 – 8 years in the wild.

11. Red Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus)

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

You’ll find red headed woodpeckers in all of North Dakota when breeding.

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.

12. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus Colubris)

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

Ruby throated hummingbirds can be found in eastern North Dakota when breeding and in the central regions of the state when migrating.

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.

13. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides Pubescent)

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

You’ll find downy woodpeckers all throughout North Dakota 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.