If you live in or are visiting New York State and are a keen birdwatching enthusiast, this article will help you identify them right in your own backyard or as you tour around the area.
What are some of the most common New York State backyard birds?
1. Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged blackbirds are one of the most common medium-sized songbirds native to North America and are found in New York during the summer. They are typically found near water sources and also around agricultural fields.
The males are striking birds that are completely black with red shoulder patches, and white wing bars. The females are brown-black with faintly marked wings.
Red-winged blackbirds migrate in flocks of up to 2,000 birds. They breed in the boreal and temperate forests, mostly in North America, and spend their winters in the southern United States and Central America.
2.Eastern Bluebird
Eastern bluebirds are the state bird of New York They are small songbirds of the thrush family, native to North America, and are found all year around in New York State. They have compact bodies, short strong legs and long pointed bills. They prefer areas with trees and shrubs. Eastern Bluebirds have a diverse diet which ranges from insects to fruit, but they prefer to eat insects, berries, and caterpillars.
The males are a vibrant royal blue on the back and head, and warm red brown on the breast. The females have blue tinges on their wings and tail, but their colors are not as vibrant as the males.
3. Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal is a common bird found in New York and can be seen all year around. It is a medium-sized songbird, about the size of a robin. It is native to North America.
Northern Cardinals are known for their reddish color and the pointed crest on their head, which they can raise to show aggression. They have a solid red color on their chest and head. The male has a black mask that covers the upper half of his face, while the female has a brown mask.
These birds can migrate long distances to find new food sources.
4. Gray Catbird
Males and female Gray Catbirds cannot be distinguished apart by their looks. They are a plain lead-gray color. The back of the head is a slightly dark shade of gray. With a rust-colour under the tail. The slim bill, the eyes, and the legs and feet are also blackish. Different behaviour in the breeding season is usually the only clue of the difference between males and females.
Gray Catbirds are named for their cat-like call. But because of their well-developed songbird syrinx, they can make two sounds at the same time. A Gray Catbird’s song is easily distinguished from that of themockingbird because the mockingbird repeats its phrases or “strophes” three to four times, the thrasher usually twice, but the catbird sings most phrases only once. The catbird’s song is usually described as raspier and less musical than that of a mockingbird.
In contrast to the many songbirds that choose a prominent perch from which to sing, the Catbird often elects to sing from inside a bush or small tree, where it is obscured from view by the foliage. Catbirds are found in New York State during the summer months, migrating to spend winters along the Gulf Coast from Florida through to Texas and down Central America to the Caribbean.
5. Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadees are common backyard birds in New York and can be found there all year round. They are cute little songbirds that live in forests, trees, shrubs, residential suburbs and parks. They are very curious and investigate everything within their territory. They seem to favor birch or alder trees for their nests.
The male and female Black-capped Chickadees look alike. They have a short neck and large head. The tail is long and narrow, and the bill is short. Their cap that extends just beyond the black eyes and bib are black, their cheeks are white and the back is a soft gray. The wing feathers are gray edged with white, and the underparts are a soft buff on the sides gradually becoming white beneath.
Chickadees are one of the easiest birds to attract to your backyard.
6. American Crow
The American Crow is a large passerine, with all black plumage.
They are one of the most intelligent birds in North America and can be found all over but tend to prefer urban areas to rural areas. They are omnivores, which means that they eat plant and animal matter.
The American Crow is about the size of the Common Raven, but with a larger bill. The bill will usually be yellow in color with a pinkish cast. The legs and feet are black, and the eyes are dark brown.
Crows are known for their intelligence and resourcefulness. They are considered to be the most intelligent of all birds, and even of all animals. As a result, they have been able to adapt to a wide variety of environments, including many urban centres. One behavior that has helped them survive in these areas is the ability for some members (usually males) of the group to migrate.
7. Mourning Dove
Mourning doves are small songbirds that live in North America and can be seen perching on telephone wires. They are very sensitive to habitat changes and can be found in rural and suburban areas throughout the year. They are primarily granivores and forage for seeds on the ground; their flight is fast and bullet straight. Their soft, drawn-out calls sound like a lament, hence the name “Mourning Dove”.
Graceful and slender-tailed, with a small head, mourning doves are light gray and brown and generally muted in color. Males and females are similar in appearance. The species is generally monogamous.
They are found all year round in New York.
8. House Finch
House finches are small songbirds. House finches are not migratory birds and can be seen in New York throughout the year. They have been found, however, to move around to find food or mates.
The males have red heads, brown wings, and a streaked back. The females are brown-streaked. They have a black bill and are about the size of a sparrow.
They eat grass seeds but also eat buds and parts of flowers, berries, small fruits, and insects such as aphids.
9. Northern Flicker
Northern flickers are medium-sized woodpeckers and are the only member of their family to commonly perch on trees rather than clinging to them. Northern Flickers are not migratory birds in New York, but they may move around to find food or mates.
They can be identified by their characteristic red breast and black belly band. The males have a red moustache mark which distinguishes them from the females. Both sexes have a brown back with black bars. Their wings show yellow underparts when they fly.
Flickers are ground-feeding woodpeckers and eat ants and beetles, which they find by probing beneath the ground with their long tongues. Most woodpeckers have tongues that are adapted to spear and extract insects from wood, but the flicker’s tongue is a bit different and helps it lap up large numbers of ants. In winter, they also eat fruits and nuts. Suet feeders and platform feeders with whole nuts on it can attract Northern Flickers to your garden.
10. American Goldfinch
American Goldfinches can be found throughout most of North America and are spotted in all year round in New York.
American Goldfinches are popular birds with the males’ bright yellow and black coloring in spring.The females are duller brown, as are males in winter.
They can be found in weedy fields and overgrown areas foraging for sunflower, thistle, and aster plants. They are also common in suburbs, parks, and backyards.
11. Common Grackle
The Common Grackle is a medium-sized bird, about the size of a Blue Jay. They tend to flock together and tend to be rather loud and aggressive, scaring away the smaller songbirds. They can become a nuisance at backyard feeding stations as they tend to eat almost anything. They are also quite resourceful in finding food. And are found year-round in New York.
They are Lanky, large blackbirds that have a long tail and long bill that curves slightly downward. Loud birds, that gather in big flocks high in trees.
Male Common Grackles are black all over but show off an iridescent blue head and bronze body depending on the light. The females look similar but are slightly less glossy than the males.
The favored foods of Common Grackles are grains like corn and rice. They are a common sight in farm fields that grow these crops and gather together in enormous flocks to feast on these grains. Being the true scavengers that they are, they also eat a wide variety of seeds, fruits, insects and spiders, frogs, even fish and mice, other birds, and as well as garbage!
12. Blue Jay
The Blue Jay is a medium-sized bird and is a member of the crow family. It is native to North America and is common across the continent. The species has adapted well to human developments, often nesting in and around residential areas.
Blue Jays have a long, pointed tail and a crest. The head, wings and back are blue while the chest is white. Both genders have similar features, but the female is slightly smaller in size than the male.
Blue jays are known to be egg thieves, sometimes directly taking eggs from nests and other times following the special sounds made by parent birds. They are found all year round in New York.
13. Dark-eyed Junco
The Dark-eyed Junco is found in a variety of habitats, including forests, woodlands, brushy areas, and at backyard bird feeders. They winter in New York at lower elevations, although some birds do remain in higher elevations year-round. They often form flocks outside of breeding season.
The Dark-eyed Junco is a medium-sized sparrow with a rounded head, short bill, and long tail. The upper parts are grayish brown, and the underparts are whitish with dark streaks on the sides. The female is usually duller than the male. Both sexes have pinkish brown legs and feet.
Diet consists mostly of insects and seeds. In winter, when insects are scarce, they will eat more berries and fruits.
14. White-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatches arecommon visitors to backyard bird feeders in New York State. The name “nuthatch” is believed to have been derived from the old English word “nut-hack”. It describes how the birds wedge their food, whether it be nuts, seeds or insects, into crevices on the bark of trees. They then hack at the food to tear it apart with their beaks.
Both sexes look the same, except the males have a black cap on the top of their heads, whereas the females display more of a gray crown.White-breasted Nuthatches aregray-blue on the back, with a white face and underparts. The black or gray cap and neck frame the “face” which makes it appear as if the bird is wearing a hood. The lower belly and under the tail are often chestnut in color.
White-breasted Nuthatches are found inhabiting forest-like areas, from the woods in Central Park, New York to semi-open, semi-arid areas in the Rocky Mountains. They are often found flocking with other small birds such as Golden-crowned Kinglets and Carolina Wrens. They clamber up and down tree trunks when foraging by going head-first and also sidling along larger branches, constantly probing in the gaps and holes in bark for food.
15. American Robin
American Robins are common summer visitors to New York. They gather in flocks around fruit trees and along roadsides. In spring, most robins migrate north to breed.
American robins are medium-sized, mostly slender birds with pointed bills. They have a long tail that is usually drooped, which helps them to balance in trees. Their plumage is predominately brownish-grey on their upper parts and they have a white or cream throat, breast and belly. The male has a reddish-orange patch on the front of his otherwise brown head while the female’s coloring is less vibrant.
16. Chipping Sparrow
The chipping sparrow is a small, ground-dwelling bird. They are common and widespread throughout most of North America. They are found in New York during the summer months and commonly occur in open woodlands, scrubby areas, or even in suburban settings. They often gather in flocks in fall and winter. They are frequently heard singing a fairly dry trill.
The Chipping Sparrow is small and slender, with a grayish breast, rusty cap, and black eyeline in the breeding season. The coloring is not as bright in winter, but it still shows a brown cap and dark eyeline. Juveniles are extensively streaky. The male and female are similar in appearance, but the male is slightly more colorful.
17. House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is one of the most common backyard birds in New York State all year around. They prefer to nest near humans and can be found in urban and rural areas. They build their nests in a variety of places, including trees, shrubs, and man-made structures. The House Sparrow originated in Europe. It was introduced to North America in the 1850s and is now one of the most common birds.
It is a small bird with a stout bill and streaked upper parts. The male has a gray head and chest with black streaks on the throat, while the female is brownish overall. It is not a singing sparrow, but chirps when issuing a warning.
The House Sparrow feeds on a variety of foods, including seeds, insects, and garbage. In backyard bird feeders, it will eat about anything, from sunflower seeds to suet.
18. Song Sparrow
The Song Sparrow is another backyard bird found in New York during the summer months. As their name suggests, these sparrows are known for their beautiful song, which they use to attract mates and ward off predators. They typically nest in trees and bushes but prefer open areas with some bushes or trees nearby. This provides them with places to hide from predators and build their nests.
The Song Sparrow is a medium-sized bird with streaked brown upper parts and whitish under parts. The male has a gray breast and head, while the female has duller colors. Both sexes have a reddish-brown mark on their throats called a “throat patch.” This patch is larger in males and is used to attract mates. Male Song Sparrows also have a dark brown streak on their heads that is not present in females. This streak is used to intimidate other males during the breeding season. Male Song Sparrows also tend to be larger than females.
The two sexes sing different songs, with male songs being longer and more complex. Male song sparrows also sing more often than females, which is how they attract mates. Females usually only sing when they are defending their territory or attracting a mate.
The diet of the Song Sparrow consists of insects, spiders, and seeds.
19. White-throated Sparrow
This little songbird bird is commonly found in New York during the winter months. They are often found in flocks.
The body of the White-throated Sparrows is brown on the upper parts and gray beneath. It has a black-and-white-striped or tan-and-buff-striped head pattern with a white throat and a tuft of yellow on either side of the head between the eyes the bill is augmented by a bright white throat and yellow between the eye and the bill, which is gray.
White-throated Sparrows mainly stay on or near the ground, in low bushes scratching through leaves to search for food. You may see them low in bushes as well, particularly in spring when they eat fresh buds.
White-throated Sparrows are popular to visit backyard and feed onmillet and as sunflower seeds.
20. Barn Swallow
Barn Swallows are small birds that migrate to warmer climates in summer and are a common sight in New York State during this season.
The male and female Barn Swallows look similar. They have a deep-blue back, wings and tail, and are reddish-brown underneath and across the face. Their tail has long outer feathers that give a deep fork.
Barn swallows feed on a wide variety of flying insects, especially flies (including house flies and horse flies), beetles, wasps, wild bees, winged ants, and true bugs. They also eat certain moths, damselflies, grasshoppers, and other insects, and a few spiders and snails.
21. European Starling
Starlings are migratory birds that have adapted to the agricultural landscapes of Europe. They are found all year round in New York.
The European Starling is a stocky blackbird with a short tail and long, slender beak. In flight their wings are short and pointed, giving them a star-like appearance, hence the name “starling”. At a distance, starlings appear black. In summer, they turn an iridescent purplish-green with yellow beaks; in winter their plumage is brown, covered in brilliant white spots.
22. Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmice live indeciduous or mixed evergreen-deciduous woods, i.e. they typically live in areas with a dense canopy and many tree species. They are also common in orchards, parks, and suburban areas. Generally found at low elevations year-round in New York State.
Tufted Titmice are very assertive over smaller birds, pushing in to get to the food first. They mostly eat insects such as caterpillars, beetles, ants, and wasps, as well as spiders and snails in summer. They will also eat seeds, nuts, and berries and will hoard shelled seeds.
Tufted Titmouse is gray on the back and white underneath with a gray crest and large eyes. They often flock with chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers.
23. Yellow Warbler
Yellow Warblers can are summer visitors to New York State.
Yellow Warblers are egg-yolk yellow birds with patches that flash yellow in the tail. Males have reddish streaks on the underparts. Both sexes flash yellow patches in the tail.
The Yellow Warbler primarily eats insects and will not visit backyard feeders, but can be seen picking insects from foliage of trees and bushes.
24. Cedar Waxwing
The Cedar Waxwing is a plump bird. It has a distinctive thin, high-pitched call. It is a summer resident in New York and is commonly found in open woodlands, orchards, and areas where there is a lot of shrubbery. They migrate as far south as Panama in winter. Cedar Waxwings are usually found in flocks around fruiting trees.
The males and females look similar with a sleek crest, a black mask, pale yellow on the underparts, and a yellow-tipped tail.
Cedar Waxwings mostly eat berries and insects. To attract them to your garden, you can provide them with cut fruit on the bird feeders.
25. Downy Woodpecker
The Downy Woodpecker isthe smallest in New York Stateand is also the smallest woodpecker in North America. Although visually very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker it is a third smaller and with a smaller beak compared to other Woodpeckers. They mostly feed on a variety of insects, especially beetles and ants. They also eat seeds and berries and will eat suet at bird feeders.
They have black and white coloring with a red patch at the back of their heads.
Downy Woodpeckers do not migrate and can be spotted in most states.
26. Red-bellied Woodpecker
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a small round-headed woodpecker, very common throughout New York, all year round.
The male’s forehead, crown and hindneck are red. The female’s crown is gray. They have black and white barred wings. The back, head and underside are creamy white to pale gray with a pale red patch on the belly. The male and female stay together only long enough to share in the excavation of a nesting cavity in a dead tree and care for the young, up to 10 weeks after they fledge.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker prefers mature forest habitat and feeds on acorns, seeds, fruit and insects.
27. Carolina Wren
Carolina Wrens are shy birds that are dark brown on top and light brown underneath. They have a white eyebrow stripe and upright tail, and a loud‘teakettle‘ song. They can be found in woods or thickly vegetated areas, and they will visit backyard feeders.
Carolina Wrensdo not migrateand are frequently spotted in New York State.
28. House Wren
The House Wren isa very small bird of the wren family and a common bird to be spotted in New York during the summer months. Even though they rarely visit bird feeders, they are often seen zipping through backyards while hunting insects.
House Wrens are brown birds that have almost no eye stripe, and overall they are more plain looking than the other wrens that visit Central Florida.
They have a rich bubbly song that is heard during the breeding season.
29. Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroats are small songbirds that can be found in New York during the summer months.
Male birds have bright yellow underparts and olive upper parts. They have a black face mask with a thin white line that distinguishes the head from the neck. The females are a plain olive-brown in color, usually with yellow on the throat and under the tail. The females do not have black masks. Their tails are slightly rounded.
Common Yellow-throats join other warbler species at times in mixed flocks. They prefer to live in open areas with thick, low vegetation. They mostly eat insects but also include some seeds in their diet.
Conclusion
Birdwatching is a popular hobby worldwide. The North American region has the most bird species out of any other continent. Each year, nearly a billion people participate in this hobby worldwide, and for many birdwatching enthusiasts, backyard birding has become the best way to experience all that nature has to offer.
FAQ
What can I do to encourage wild birds in my yard?
In order to encourage wild birds in your backyard, you must provide a source of water and food. This can be done with bird baths and bird feeders. For a more natural experience, try adding some flowers or plants around your yard to attract different species of birds.
How do I identify the birds around my backyard in New York?
The best way to identify the birds in your backyard is by looking at their feathers. Their beaks tell you what they like to eat. Their feet tell you if they perch, hop or wade.
What birds are most common in New York?
29 of the Most Common Backyard Birds in New York will give you a small preview of what you can find in the State.
Are woodpeckers endangered?
Woodpeckers are classified as being at risk. The number of red, black, and white woodpeckers has been declining over the last seventy years. The main reason for this decrease is the loss of nesting sites due to deforestation, development and expanding agriculture.
Why might there be lots of small birds flying and diving?
It is possible that the birds are looking for food such as flying insects or there could be a predator nearby. Without further observations, it is impossible to know what is driving their behavior.
What kind of blackbirds seem to congregate on power lines?
Blackbirds are a common sight at power lines, but why? Scientists believe that the blackbirds congregate at these power lines because this is an excellent place to find food. The electricity can kill bugs, which the blackbirds can easily feed on.
