Common Barnyard-grass

Echinochloa crus-galli

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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At a glance

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Light · Soil · Life cycle · Leaves · Bloom

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 11 West Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 82 animals.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Sora
Porzana carolina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Swainson's Warbler
Limnothlypis swainsonii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 1 shared habitat

Widespread birds also seen here (45)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

6CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Echinochloa

Ancyloxypha numitorLeast Skipper
Ctenucha virginicaVirginia Ctenucha
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Limochores mysticLong Dash
Polites themistoclesTawny-Edged Skipper
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

15BirdsRecorded eating Echinochloa in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

SoraSeeds. 8 diet records
Ring-necked DuckSeeds. 3 diet records
Wild Turkey3 diet records
MallardSeeds. 2 diet records
Bobolink2 diet records
Wood DuckSeeds. 2 diet records
American WigeonSeeds. 1 diet record
Blue-winged TealSeeds. 1 diet record
Brown-headed Cowbird1 diet record
Gadwall1 diet record

Show all 15

King RailSeeds. 1 diet record
Lapland Longspur1 diet record
Northern CardinalSeeds. 1 diet record
Red-winged Blackbird1 diet record
Snow Bunting1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Birds that eat Echinochloa 15

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Sora
Porzana carolina
Seeds. 8 diet records
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
Seeds. 3 diet records
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
3 diet records
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Seeds. 2 diet records
Bobolink
Dolichonyx oryzivorus
2 diet records
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Seeds. 2 diet records
American Wigeon
Anas americana
Seeds. 1 diet record
Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors
Seeds. 1 diet record
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
1 diet record
Gadwall
Anas strepera
1 diet record
King Rail
Rallus elegans
Seeds. 1 diet record
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicus
1 diet record
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Seeds. 1 diet record
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
1 diet record
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
1 diet record

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Also known as

Common Barnyard grass; Echinochloa crus galli; Echinochloa crus-galli

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

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