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Northern Cardinal
The male’s red body, pointed crest, and black face make an easy first identification in much of the eastern U.S. and parts of southern Canada. A female is mostly warm brown, with red on her wings and crest. Both have the same thick orange-red bill.
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American Robin
Watch the lawn for a robin running a few steps and then stopping upright. Its rusty breast and dark head are easy to pick out against grass. Young birds have spotted breasts, so that familiar plain orange front may be missing in summer.
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Blue Jay
Look for the blue crest, which the bird can flatten, and a dark necklace that shows well in side view. The wings and tail are barred blue, black, and white. This is the familiar crested jay across much of eastern North America. In the west, compare it with the darker-headed Steller’s jay.
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Black-capped chickadee
Look for a black cap and bib with a white cheek in between. Black-capped chickadees make quick visits to feeders and often fly off carrying a seed. In the southeastern U.S., the similar Carolina chickadee can be a better match, so check your location before deciding.
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American goldfinch
A breeding male is lemon yellow with a black cap and black wings. Females and winter birds are duller, so check the wing bars and short seed-cracking bill. Watch for loose groups on seed heads or at a feeder.
More about American goldfinch6
Mourning Dove
A small head and a long pointed tail give this dove its outline. Look for scattered black spots on the folded wings as it walks below feeders. The pointed tail makes a useful comparison with the squarer tail of a Eurasian collared-dove.
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Downy Woodpecker
Start with the bill. A downy’s short, neat bill looks stubby against the head, while a hairy woodpecker’s is much longer. Black and white checkering and a broad white stripe down the back can otherwise make the two look alike.
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House Finch
Males often have red on the face and upper breast, and females are mostly brown. Both have blurry brown streaks along the sides. The rounded head and substantial bill help identify one at a feeder even when it has little or no red.
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Dark-eyed junco
Watch under shrubs or feeders for a sparrow-sized bird hopping on the ground. The pale outer tail feathers flash as it flies away. Eastern birds tend toward slate gray above, while many western birds have a dark hood and rusty sides.
More about Dark-eyed junco10
White-breasted nuthatch
This small gray-backed bird often moves headfirst down the trunk. Look for a clean white face and breast beneath a dark cap, plus a pointed bill. A reddish breast and strong black eye stripe point toward the smaller red-breasted nuthatch.
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Song Sparrow
Dense streaks often come together in a dark spot near the middle of the chest. Look for a sturdy brown sparrow with a fairly long, rounded tail near brush or a low hedge. Plumage varies across the continent, so use several marks together.
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American Crow
Watch for a large all-black bird walking on a lawn and turning over things for food. In flight, the American crow usually has a short, rounded or fan-shaped tail. A common raven typically shows a longer wedge-shaped tail and a heavier bill.
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House sparrow
The male has a gray crown, chestnut at the back of the head, and a black bib. Females look plain brown with a pale brow. Check the thick bill and look for them in groups around buildings and paved areas.
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Common starling
A European starling looks dark from a distance, but a close view may show green and purple sheen. Look for a short tail and a long pointed bill. In fall and winter, pale speckles stand out, while the bill of a breeding adult turns yellow.
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Common grackle
A dark bird strutting across an eastern lawn may be a common grackle. Look for a long tail and a pale gold eye on adults. The head often shines blue or purple in sunlight. A starling can be glossy too, but its tail is much shorter.
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Northern mockingbird
Look for a slim gray bird up on a fence or hedge, its tail sticking well out behind it. Pale bars mark the folded wings. When the bird opens them, a much larger white patch on each wing becomes visible.
More about Northern mockingbird17
Northern Flicker
A woodpecker feeding on the lawn is often a flicker. Look for a dark crescent across the upper breast and a flash of white at the rump as it flies. The wing flashes tend to be yellow in the east and reddish in the west, with mixed forms where their ranges meet.
More about Northern Flicker18
Tufted titmouse
The small gray crest and dark patch above the bill give this bird a distinct silhouette at an eastern feeder. Its face is pale, and a little rusty color shows beneath the wings. Watch for a quick visit followed by a retreat with a seed.
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Carolina Wren
A bold cream eyebrow and rich brown back set off this small eastern bird. It probes low around tangles and porch edges, often carrying its tail high. Where it overlaps with Bewick’s wren, look for the Carolina wren’s warmer underside and a shorter tail.
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Steller's jay
In wooded western neighborhoods, look for a jay with a tall crest, a dark hood and a brilliant blue body. Blue on the forehead or white markings above the eyes vary by region. That much darker head sets it apart from the eastern blue jay.
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Spotted Towhee
Watch for leaf litter moving under a hedge. The bird doing the scratching may be a spotted towhee, with rusty flanks, a white belly, and small white spots on dark wings. Males have a black head, while females tend toward gray-brown.
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