Items26The creator’s order
  1. 1Northern CardinalNorthern CardinalThe 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.0
  2. 2American RobinAmerican RobinWatch 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.0
  3. 3Blue JayBlue JayLook 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.0
  4. 4Black-capped chickadeeBlack-capped chickadeeLook 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.0
  5. 5American goldfinchAmerican goldfinchA 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.0
  6. 6Mourning DoveMourning DoveA 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.0
  7. 7Downy WoodpeckerDowny WoodpeckerStart 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.0
  8. 8House FinchHouse FinchMales 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.0
  9. 9Dark-eyed juncoDark-eyed juncoWatch 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.0
  10. 10White-breasted nuthatchWhite-breasted nuthatchThis 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.0