Birding 101: Learn How to Identify Common Backyard Birds

Have you ever spent time in your backyard and heard the birds singing from the trees or flying around? Knowing the names of the birds in your backyard, whether they are soaring hawks or singing cardinals, may provide hours of enjoyment and fascination. The most common way to identify common backyard birds is to observe birds’ size, color, shape, patterns, and habits.

In this article, we will see through the factors to identify different bird species that are commonly found in residential or suburban areas. Continue reading till the end to develop your bird-watching skills and knowledge.

What are Common Backyard Birds

Common backyard birds are those kinds of birds that are regularly observed and found in residential regions. They are recognized for their adaptation to human situations and regularly visit bird feeders for food. Some of the most frequent backyard birds include the Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, and others.

How to Identify Common Backyard Birds

1. Study the bird’s external characteristics: Look for details that can identify the type of bird, such as size, color, shape, patterns, and markings.
2. Observe how they act: Take attention to the bird’s feeding, vocalization, and movement patterns as well as other routines.
3. Think about the bird’s habitat: Take into account the bird’s surroundings, such as its perch in a tree, its placement on the ground, or its proximity to a bird feeder, and consider the habitat that the bird would be associated with.
4. Use resources for bird identification: Compare the bird’s physical characteristics, behaviors, and habitats to those of known species using guides or apps for bird identification like iBird, Audubon, or Sibley.
5. Make observations and take notes: Make notes about what you see and hear, the time and place of the sighting, and any other relevant information to aid in identification and improve your bird-watching abilities.

Factors to Consider When Identify Common Backyard Birds

There are several factors to consider when trying to identify common backyard birds:

1. Plumage: The color and pattern of a bird’s feathers can be a key identification factor. Pay attention to the overall color, as well as any distinctive markings such as stripes, spots, or patches.
2. Size and shape: Birds come in all shapes and sizes, and this can be a helpful clue when trying to identify them. Compare the size and shape of a bird to others you are familiar with to get a sense of its relative size.
3. Behavior: Birds have unique behaviors that can be used to identify them. For example, some birds are known for flitting about in the bushes, while others prefer to perch in trees. Some birds are known for their specific calls or songs.
4. Habitat: Different birds prefer different types of habitats. For example, some birds are found in wooded areas, while others are found in open fields or near bodies of water. Knowing where to look for a particular bird can help you identify it.
5. Season: Some birds are migratory, meaning they move to different areas at different times of the year. Knowing what birds are typically found in your area during a particular season can also help you identify them.
6. Bill, Tail, and feet: some birds have distinctive bill, tail, and feet shape and size, that can help to identify them.

Types of Backyard Birds

There are many types of backyard birds depending on the location and habitat. Some examples include:

Type	Location	Identifying Sign	Examples
Sparrows	Backyard and suburban areas	Various species and patterns	House Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow
Finches	Backyard and suburban areas	Small, seed-eating birds	American Goldfinch, House Finch, Pine Siskin
Woodpeckers	Wooded areas	Distinctive drumming	Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker
Thrushes	Ground-dwelling birds in wooded areas	Medium-sized, beautiful songs	American Robin, Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush
Warblers	Wooded areas	Small, brightly colored birds	Yellow Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, American Redstart
Hawks	Various habitats	Large, predatory birds	Cooper’s Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk
Doves	Various habitats	Medium-sized, plump birds with short, thick bill	Mourning Dove, Rock Dove, White-winged Dove
Blackbirds	Various habitats	Glossy black plumage	Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark
Jays	Various habitats	Medium-sized, crested birds	Blue Jay, Steller’s Jay, Green Jay
Wrens	Various habitats	Small, active birds with loud, complex songs	House Wren, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren

5 Most Popular Common Backyard Birds Identification Chart

Name	Plumage	Size and Shape	Behavior	Habitat	Season	Bill, Tail, and Feet
Northern Cardinal	Bright red plumage, black face, and thick bill	Large, crested songbird	Often seen alone or in pairs	Wooded areas, gardens, and suburban parks	Year-round resident	Thick bill
American Goldfinch	Bright yellow plumage, black cap, and white wing bars	Small, finch-like bird	Often found in flocks and known for their high-pitched, warbling songs	Open woodlands, meadows, and suburban gardens	Summer resident, Winter resident in some areas	Small and conical bill
Blue Jay	Blue plumage, white chest, and black necklace	Medium-sized, crested songbird	Known for their loud, harsh calls	Woods, gardens, and suburban parks	Year-round resident	Strong and black bill
Black-capped Chickadee	Black cap, white cheeks, and gray plumage	Small, plump songbird	Known for their high-pitched, two-note calls	Wooded areas, gardens, and suburban parks	Year-round resident	Short and black bill
House Sparrow	Brown plumage, gray crown, and black bib	Small, stocky bird	Often found in urban areas, gardens, and near human habitation. Known for their chirping songs	Urban areas, gardens, and near human habitation	Year-round resident	Short and conical bill

The Common Backyard Birds in North America

1. House Finch
2. American Robin
3. European Starling
4. Downy Woodpecker
5. Tufted Titmouse
6. Mourning Dove
7. Ruffed Grouse
8. Red-bellied Woodpecker
9. White-breasted Nuthatch
10. American Tree Sparrow

Side by Side Comparison of Similar Looking Species

Comparison Chart : Sparrows

Name	Plumage	Size and Shape	Behavior	Habitat	Season
House Sparrow	Brown plumage, gray crown, and black bib	Small, stocky bird	Often found in urban areas, gardens, and near human habitation. Known for their chirping songs	Urban areas, gardens, and near human habitation	Year-round resident
American Tree Sparrow	Small, sparrow-like bird with a rust-colored cap, a white belly and a rusty-colored breast	Small, sparrow-like	Often found in wooded areas and are known for their clear, sweet songs	Wooded areas, forests and fields	Winter resident in some areas
White-crowned Sparrow	Medium-sized, sparrow-like bird with a white crown and a brown back	Medium-sized, sparrow-like	Often found in wooded areas, gardens, and suburban parks. Known for their clear, sweet songs	Wooded areas, gardens, and suburban parks	Winter resident in some areas

Comparison Chart : Woodpeckers

Name	Plumage	Size and Shape	Behavior	Habitat	Season
Downy Woodpecker	Small, black and white woodpecker with a black and white striped back	Small	Often found in wooded areas and are known for their distinctive drumming	Wooded areas, forests, and suburban parks	Year-round resident
Hairy Woodpecker	Medium-sized, black and white woodpecker with a black and white striped back	Medium-sized	Often found in wooded areas and are known for their distinctive drumming	Wooded areas, forests, and suburban parks	Year-round resident
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Medium-sized, black and white woodpecker with a red crown and a red patch on its belly	Medium-sized	Often found in wooded areas and are known for their distinctive call	Wooded areas, forests, and suburban parks	Year-round resident

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