The bird world has got you covered with a range of beautiful red birds that are sure to brighten up your outdoor space.
Meet the most stunning red birds that you can attract to your backyard—these crimson-feathered friends will not only spice up your garden but also provide a lively and delightful atmosphere.
1. Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
- Location: Mostly found in the northern U.S., especially in forests in the Rocky Mountains and parts of Alaska.
- Appearance: The males have bright red bodies, while females are more of a grayish color with hints of yellow.
- How to Attract Them: Pine Grosbeaks love sunflower seeds and fruit, especially in the winter. Try setting up a bird feeder with black oil sunflower seeds and berries, or plant fruiting trees like crabapples.
2. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
- Location: Found all over the U.S., especially in towns, cities, and rural areas.
- Appearance: Males are mostly red on their heads and chests, while females are brown and streaked.
- How to Attract Them: House Finches enjoy sunflower seeds and will come to most backyard feeders. They also like plants that produce seeds, so having flowers like dandelions and sunflowers nearby can help.
3. Two-barred Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
- Location: Typically found in northern U.S. states and higher elevations, especially in pine forests.
- Appearance: These birds are a rosy red, with a crossbill (beak tips cross over each other) and small white patches on their wings.
- How to Attract Them: Two-barred Crossbills are attracted to coniferous trees, especially spruce and pine trees, as they eat seeds from cones. Planting pine trees or putting out sunflower seeds may invite them in areas where they’re nearby.
4. Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
- Location: Scattered across the U.S., mainly in the West and northern states.
- Appearance: Similar to the White-winged Crossbill, but they don’t have white patches on their wings. Males are reddish, and females are yellowish-green.
- How to Attract Them: Red Crossbills enjoy pine seeds, so having pine trees or offering pine cones and sunflower seeds can encourage visits.
5. Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus)
- Location: Mostly spotted in the southwestern U.S., like Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.
- Appearance: Often called the “desert cardinal,” the Pyrrhuloxia has a mix of gray and red coloring with a red face mask and chest.
- How to Attract Them: Pyrrhuloxia are fond of seeds, especially safflower seeds. They also like cacti and brushy areas, so if you live in a drier region, planting native desert plants and setting out safflower seed can help bring them closer.
6. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
- Location: Often residing in eastern U.S. forests during summer; they migrate to South America in winter.
- Appearance: Males are bright red with black wings and tail, while females are olive-yellow.
- How to Attract Them: Scarlet Tanagers love eating insects, so having native plants to attract bugs helps. You can also put out berries like mulberries, blueberries, and raspberries, which they love.
7. Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
- Location: Appearing mostly in the southwestern U.S., especially in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.
- Appearance: Males are a striking bright red with black markings, while females are grayish with a reddish belly.
- How to Attract Them: Vermilion Flycatchers are insect-eaters, so they’re attracted to gardens with lots of flying insects. Planting native flowering plants will attract the insects they feed on.
8. Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
- Location: Found in northern U.S. states, especially in winter; they sometimes migrate south.
- Appearance: These small birds have a red cap on their heads and often a rosy wash on their chests.
- How to Attract Them: Redpolls love small seeds, especially thistle (nyjer) and sunflower seeds. Use a tube feeder with nyjer seeds to bring them in, especially in winter.
9. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
- Location: Often located year-round in the eastern and central U.S.
- Appearance: Males are bright red all over, while females are a warm brown with touches of red. They have a distinctive crest on their heads.
- How to Attract Them: Northern Cardinals love sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and peanuts. They prefer open feeders where they can perch easily. Planting shrubs or dense bushes also gives them safe places to hide and nest.
10. Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber)
- Location: Mainly present along the western U.S. coast, from California up to Alaska.
- Appearance: These woodpeckers are red on their heads, throats, and chests, with a mix of black and white on their wings.
- How to Attract Them: Red-breasted Sapsuckers drill holes in trees to eat sap and insects. They’re more likely to visit if you have trees, especially fruit trees, which they use for food. If they’re native to your area, try setting up suet feeders as a treat.
Each bird brings its own charm and personality. With a little effort, you’ll soon have a vibrant, animated yard filled with the cheerful sight of red birds!
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.