Common Backyard Birds You Can Spot In The U.S
Every country has some specific region based on common types of backyard birds that can be seen around the feeders. However, only a few bird breeds are found throughout the entire U.S. continent. In this article, we have mentioned the common backyard birds that are not very popular but are frequent visitors in different seasons.
Common Backyard Birds in the U.S.
Below we have mentioned some of the commonly found backyard birds in the U.S
Mourning Dove
Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura
The mourning dove is a common backyard bird. It is a gentle and medium-sized bird with buff coloration covered with black spots and has dark wingtips. The back and wing area of the bird is gray-tinted with an iridescent patch showing on the neck.
The mourning dove is well-known for the soothing voice and alow-whirring sounds of its wings when making the flight. These feed on seeds and easily come to the ground or platform seeders, although these are known to be quite shy.
These birds travel together in family groups and get along well with other backyard birds, including the dove. Their favorite food is milo, sunflower seeds, and millet.
Downy Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Picoides pubescens
Identifying these backyard birds is quite easy. Downy woodpeckers are the smallest of all North American woodpeckers. You can easily recognize them with a bold red patch on the male’s nape. Both female male downy woodpeckers have white backs, spotted wings, and striped face.
Small and stubby bill is the main feature of Downy woodpecker. These are regular visiting types of backyard birds where there are mature trees and wooden habitat. You can attract them by suet feeders or with scrub and brush landscaping in the nest.
American Robin
Scientific Name: Turdus migratorius
The American robin is one of the most common types of backyard birds. These have gray color back, bold redbreast, striped throat, and gray wings which makes identifying these backyard birds quite easy. You can easily find them in parks, yards, and country forests.
American robin hops and runs across the yards where they can find berries and insects easily. These love birdbaths and water features for bathing and drinking. You can sample mealworms in a feeder along with shredded or crumbled suet to attract them.
American Crow
Scientific Name: Corvus brachyrhynchos
American crow bird breeds can be easily spotted because of their brown eyes abd all black skin with an iridescent purple or blue sheen on the wings. These backyard birds are quite common in rural and open areas; however, they are becoming quite populous in suburban and urban areas as well.
American crows readily visit yards for seeds, suet, and scraps from bird feeders. They are highly adaptive and are intelligent birds. It is quite entertaining to watch them attack the feeders trying to find the choicest bits.
European Starling
Scientific Name: Sturnus vulgaris
The European starling is a very convivial type of bird breeds. They have a very short tail, long pointed yellow bill, and black plumage with an iridescent green sheet and bold purple color.
You can easily spot plumage in early winter and late fall; however, their spots wear off gradually. Starling was first introduced in 1890 to North America. Today, these are the most popular types of birds in the continent, usually found forming huge flocks in large open areas.
Birders often find starlings to be bully birds because of their large flocks and insatiable appetites for seed. Starling easily visits ground and platform feeders and can be seen pecking along the ground for grains, insects, and seeds.
Read More:- 13 Best Wild Ohio Birds To See In USA
House Sparrow
Scientific Name: Passer domesticus
Another common bird breeds are the house sparrows. Their gray-black cap, pale abdomen, dark throat, and brown-black streaked wings and back make identifying these backyard birds quite an easy task.
Female sparrows also have lighter and buffed streaks overall with buffy brows and paler bill. These first came to North America in 1850, and now they are present in abundance across the continent.
House sparrows are frequent visitors on the platform and well as hopper feeders. Seeds are their favorite; however, they also eat fruits and insects. These small birds love birdbaths and also enjoy dust baths in drier areas. However, birders discourage house sparrows because of their invasive nature.
House Finch
Scientific Name: Carpodacus mexicanus
House finch is a very bold bird with a beautiful tan body, red eyebrow, forehead throat, and heavily streaked abdomen. You can also notice a red strawberry patch on the rump. On rare occasions, you may spot male house finch with yellow and orange body. Females are more buff and tan with vibrant red colors.
These beautiful backyard birds visit feeders for seeds and scraps and are also attracted to birdbaths. These can easily nest in birdhouses present in the backyard.
American Goldfinch
Scientific Name: Carduelis tristis
One of the most desirable and popular backyard bird breeds, the goldfinch has a beautiful vibrant yellow color body. Male goldfinch has dark wings with a black cap and distinctive wing bars. Female American goldfinch has olive-yellow plumage on the back and a dull cap compared to the males.
Nyjer seeds are the favorite food of American goldfinch, which they usually find in mesh, tube, or stock feeders. They also enjoy eating sunflower seeds and enjoy birdbaths to drink water. You may see them lingering around seed bearing flowers to pluck out the seeds as well as seed fluff to use in the nest during late summer.
Final Words:
There are plenty of different backyard birds that can be easily seen during the changing seasons. Not all types of birds are common across the same continent; however, there are few bird breeds that are mostly found in the U.S. and are loved by birders. All these backyard birds have something unique about their look, which makes them easy to identify. Tell us in the comments sections how many of these beautiful backyard birds have you seen?
