You may ignore the flowers in bloom on the street or the chirping birds outside your window while you’re hectic with your daily activities.
However, when you stop, take deep breaths, and look around, you’re aware that you may interact with nature whenever and wherever you are.
Birding is a fantastic opportunity to explore nature more deeply while enjoying your garden.
These animals are common in the countryside and urban areas. And if you take a few minutes to search for them, they are pretty amazing.
If you are new to birding, it’s best to start with the following list of common backyard birds! Let’s read on!
Table of Contents
A List Of 19 Common Backyard Birds
Bird watching is a popular pastime among people, without a doubt.
If you want to try this pastime, knowing about the little birds you are usually likely to see in your garden is a fantastic beginning point.
Here are the most common backyard birds you may have ever watched:
#1. Mourning Dove
The medium-sized mourning dove generally has a soft buff hue, with black patches and dark brogues standing out.
The bird frequently has a grayish tint to its wings and back, and its neck may have a shimmering patch.
Both the calming voice and the gentle whirring noise the wings of these animals generate when they fly are instantly identifiable.
Mourning doves are shy yet quickly approach platform feeders and ground and eat seeds. They particularly enjoy millet, sunflower seeds, and milo.
Family groupings may comfortably forage with other garden birds, along with other doves, and migrate together.
#2. American Goldfinch
Due to their stunning bright yellow coloring, American goldfinches are among the most famous and sought-after backyard bird varieties.
Males feature a black hat and black wings with noticeable wing bars, but females have no black crown and olive-yellow feathers on the backs.
Goldfinches will eat Nyjer seeds, which are their favorite diet, from the mesh, tube, and sock feeders. They’ll consume sunflower seeds or sip water from bird baths as well.
They even enjoy flowering plants that produce seeds. They will rest on these plants to collect the seeds and seed fluff for building nests in the late summer months.
#3. House Finch
The brash house finch has a brown body, a strongly striped belly, throat, and forehead. You can see a red strawberry spot on its rump.
In rare circumstances, male house finches birds may appear orange or yellow, while females are tan and beige without the more vivid hues.
House finches are amenable feeder visitors and will consume seeds and leftovers.
Additionally, they are lured to bird tubs and may build nests in any accessible birdhouse.
#4. House Sparrow
The house sparrows are a frequent backyard guest with a gray or black head, dark neck, light belly, black and brown striped wings, and back.
Both genders of the bird feature streaks, although the female has a lighter overall appearance, a buffier beak, and more pronounced buffy eyebrows.
House sparrows were brought to New York in North America in the 1850s and are now widespread.
These little birds frequently stop at platform feeders and hoppers. Although they like seeds, they can also consume fruit and insects.
Also drawn to bird baths, house sparrows often take dust showers in dry regions.
Nevertheless, many birders favor taking measures to deter house sparrows rather than encouraging them because these birds may be invasive.
#5. American Robin
It is simple to identify the American Robin in gardens, forests, and parks throughout the nation thanks to its striking red chest, gray wings and back, and striped neck.
Western communities are often smaller, and young birds have many spots to help them blend in.
These birds jump and gallop across lawns while eating berries, worms, and insects.
American robins are frequently drawn to yards when insects and fruit are present.
Additionally, they are drawn to water features like birdbaths for bathing and drinking.
They could also try mealworms and shredded or crumbled suet at feeders.
#6. Blue Jay
The blue jays are a considerable bird but have a poor reputation.
Because they tend to frighten other species away from the feeder, they are frequently regarded as bully birds.
They will frequently take over bird feeders since they are not picky and will happily consume nuts, suet, seeds, and maize.
These birds are famous for burying nuts for later consumption, much like squirrels.
Besides, these charming jays are also quite clever and lively. If you pay attention to these animals, you can see that they carry flashy stuff like bottle tops or foil.
#7. Eastern Bluebird
All around the world, bluebirds are well-liked. Feeders filled with seeds won’t bring in bluebirds since they prefer insects.
You might provide dried and live mealworms to entice these animals to your property.
If you create the right conditions, they could decide to nest near you. As its name implies, eastern bluebirds may be found across the Eastern part of the nation.
The Rockies are home to mountain bluebirds, whereas western bluebirds populate the remainder of the region.
#8. Baltimore Oriole
To get Baltimore Orioles to come to your backyard, you might have to put in a little more work, but most enthusiasts say it is worth it.
In Central America, these stunning orange creatures spend the winter.
Therefore, when they come back in the springtime, attract them by using grape jelly or oranges, two of their favorite foods.
Bullock’s orioles take the place of Baltimore orioles throughout the western part of the nation.
#9. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
There’s a good reason so many people love these petite shining beauties in their backyards.
It’s incredible to observe as they fly on almost imperceptibly fast-moving wings.
Instead of eating hummingbirds’ seeds, they are drawn by flowers that produce nectar or a sugar-water feeder.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are no longer common in the western United States but rufous and Anna’s hummingbirds.
#10. Black-Capped Chickadee
Have you ever dreamt about a bird perching on your palm and consuming seed? Then you should become familiar with the black-capped chickadee!
This ubiquitous little bird is among the friendliest and cutest in America.
North American black-capped chickadees come in six varieties, but all have winning personalities.
If you like to attract these birds in your backyard, you can consider offering sunflower seeds in a bird feeder.
#11. White-Breasted Nuthatch
The typical behavior of bouncing about upside-down makes white-breasted nuthatches simple to identify.
They consume nearly all foods, although they enjoy eating giant seeds, including peanuts and acorns.
To crack open and pull out the flesh, they press the nuts in the cracks of trees and smash them.
North American white-breasted nuthatches mainly come in three types, and all are pretty acrobatic.
You may observe them scavenging for bugs in all directions on tree branches and trunks.
#12. Northern Cardinal
These northern red cardinals are simple to recognize with their bouncy crests and dark eye masks.
Although they are a duller brown, females stand out thanks to their perfectly matched crests and vivid orange bills.
They are recognizable for the what-cheer tunes and high-pitched chip sounds.
To attract Northern cardinals, you can feed them their favorite food, such as black sunflower seeds.
#13. European Starling
The friendly European birds have short tails, long, pointy yellow bills, and black feathers with vivid purple and bright green sheens.
The dots are evident at the end of autumn and the beginning of the winter, but they eventually disappear.
European Starlings were brought to North America for the first time in 1890 and are currently among the most numerous birds there.
Due to their vast numbers and insatiable appetites for seeds, several backyard birders view starlings as bully birds.
They often go to ground and platform feeders, and you may frequently observe them scratching the floor for dropped seeds, insects, and grains.
#14. Song Sparrow
While these song sparrows may not be the most visually appealing tiny birds on the list, they are so frequent that it’s essential to know how to identify them.
In some regions of their distribution, they might appear highly different.
Although they have lovely melodies, the unmistakable “chimp” sound makes these birds simple for novices to recognize.
#15. Tufted Titmouse
These tufted titmice are particularly adorable. These little birds feature a white chest and a gray rump, and they also have a confident crown with orange flashes.
Titmice are entertaining to watch at feeders because they grasp seeds in their feet and smash them apart to grab the flesh.
Observe their storing behavior when they stockpile food for the winter in the fall. It’s interesting!
#16. Northern Mockingbird
The name of this bird is not a joke; it has a collection of over 100 calls and songs.
They imitate other birds, automobile horns, squeaky doors, alarms, and different sounds.
You may entice mockingbirds by leaving out mealworms and growing berry shrubs in your backyard since they like insects and berries.
#17. Downy Woodpecker
The tiniest woodpecker in North America is the Downy one.
Unlike the more significant bills of related hairy woodpeckers, Downy woodpeckers have a short, stubby beak.
The faces, backs, and wings of males and females are all white and striped. On the males, there is a distinct red patch that is unmistakable.
Downy woodpeckers prefer properties with appropriate forested settings and old trees.
They are drawn by a suet feeder or may build their nests in gardens with landscaping composed of bushes and shrubs.
#18. Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Without a doubt, the name of this bird is confusing.
Although there is already a bird with the same name as the red-headed woodpecker, the redhead patterns are considerably more noticeable.
Instead, the tiny red stripes on the belly gave this woodpecker its name.
The eastern portion of the nation is home to many red-bellied woodpeckers.
Fill your feeder appropriately since they are drawn to a similar type of food as the Downy species mentioned above.
#19. American Crow
The all-black American crow has brown eyes and may congregate in massive groups, especially during the winter. The wings may have a shimmering purple or blue shine.
American Crows are growing more widespread in suburban and urban surroundings and open countryside areas.
These Crows are tinier than ravens, yet they are more significant than blackbirds.
Due to their remarkable adaptability, these birds can quickly approach yards, searching for leftovers, suet, and seeds from your bird feeders.
It’s fun to observe these sharp-witted birds approach feeders ingeniously in search of the best treats.
FAQs
How To Attract Backyard Birds To A Backyard?
You can fill your bird feeder with the favorite food of this species. Otherwise, you can use bird houses to hang in your backyard.
Besides, it’s a great idea to consider bird baths since these animals love taking baths.
If you want to get more tips and in-depth explanations of these methods, you can click on this video:
What To Do If You Discover A Wild Newborn Bird In Your Garden?
If you discover the nest, take up the young bird with care and put it back inside the nest.
In other cases, you should let the newborn alone if you can’t detect its nest.
Do Specific Flower Colors Encourage Birds To Visit Your Backyard?
The short answer is yes! Hummingbirds love red, yellow, pink, and orange colors.
Bluebirds and Blue Jays prefer blue colors. Warblers and Orioles like orange colors, and Goldfinches adorn yellow.
You can consider using the flowers with corresponding colors depending on the species you want to attract.
In A Nutshell
This article has provided a complete list of 19 common backyard birds you may be interested in.
We hope that you will enjoy keeping an eye out for these feathery neighbors in your area!
If you know other species, please comment below to enrich our list. Thanks for taking the time to follow this post!