Birdwatching is a relaxing and engaging hobby that adults and children can enjoy. It's fairly simple to start — all you need is some birdseed and a feeder. However, not all birds like the same seeds, so if you want to attract more birds to your yard, you need to learn what they eat. Your garden will benefit from a diverse range of bird species, as they'll pollinate the flowers and keep garden pests at bay. Plus, you'll get to see them and hear them sing!
If you're curious about birdwatching in your yard, learn a few of the common species and what foods you can leave out to attract them. Soon, you'll have a garden flourishing with bird life.
1. American Robin
A bird you'll likely spot in your yard is the American robin. These cheery little birds live all throughout the United States in cities, parks and forests. They're easily identifiable by their round orange bellies and gray backs, and if you listen, you'll hear them singing bright and early near the end of winter. American robins typically hunt for worms and insects along the ground, but in the winter, you'll find them eating berries from bushes and trees.
To attract American robins to your yard, put the following bird food on your feeder:
- Berries
- Raisins
- Mealworms
- Apple slices
2. Mourning Dove
Mourning doves are elegant birds that live all over the country and love to sit on telephone lines. You can identify mourning doves by their small heads, pointed tails, brown-gray bodies, black wing spots and blue rings around their eyes. They make the sweetest little "coo" sounds, and you'll hear a whistle-like sound when they take off. Mourning doves typically forage for seeds on the ground, but they're easily startled.
Attract mourning doves to your yard with:
- Cracked corn.
- White proso millet.
- Safflower seeds.
- Shelled sunflower seeds.
3. Northern Mockingbird
Northern mockingbirds are delightful birds that live in suburban areas across the U.S. You can't miss them — they're experts at mimicry and can sing up to 200 song variations! If the singing doesn't give them away, you can identify a northern mockingbird by their gray body and black wings marked with white bars. Northern mockingbirds are omnivores, as they eat fruits as well as bugs and small lizards.
Attract northern mockingbirds to your bird feeder with:
- Suet.
- Sliced apples or oranges.
- Crushed peanuts.
- Mealworms.
4. White-Breasted Nuthatch
A bird that loves to feed from bird feeders is the white-breasted nuthatch. They're common in the U.S. in areas with lots of trees, and they prefer to nest in natural cavities and forage for their food in bark crevices. White-breasted nuthatches are gray with white faces and bellies, plus a darker crown on top of their head. They're quite fun to watch as they run down tree trunks head-first, hang upside-down, and make a nasal "yank-yank" sound. Nuthatches mainly eat the insects they find on trees, but they love seeds and nuts, too.
To attract white-breasted nuthatches to your bird feeder, provide:
- Sunflower seeds.
- Whole peanuts.
- Mealworms.
- Suet.
5. American Goldfinch
American finches are colorful little birds that love to perch on top of thistle plants. They live in grassy, weedy areas on the northeastern side of the U.S. but sometimes move further south during the winter. In spring and summer, the males are easy to spot thanks to their bright yellow bodies, black head caps and black wings with white bars. They get their yellow coloring from carotenoid pigments naturally present in plants and seeds. Because of this, their plumage turns more of a duller, olive color in winter, similar to the females.
Attract American finches to your feeder with:
- Nyjer seeds — their favorite!
- Sunflower seeds.
6. Song Sparrow
Song sparrows are little birds that prefer to live in shrubby areas with water sources. They look a bit different depending on where you are in the U.S., but you can identify them by their streaky brown and grey plumage and white breasts. Some flocks stay in place year-round, while others migrate far distances. Song sparrows get their name from their rhythmic song and their vocalness. They nest in shrubs and scratch for their food along the ground.
You can attract song sparrows to your backyard by providing the following:
- White proso millet
- Nyjer seeds
- Suet
7. Black-Capped Chickadee
If you live more in the northern parts of the U.S., you might see black-capped chickadees in your backyard. They're incredibly energetic and friendly birds, and you can identify them by their black cap and chin, white cheeks and fluffy bellies. They're named after their call, which sounds like "chickadee-dee-dee." These tiny birds live near the edges of forests and open areas and eat a mix of insects, seeds and berries. Live in the Southeast? The Carolina Chickadee looks very similar to the Black-Capped Chickadee!
Black-capped chickadee birds will eagerly investigate feeders. To attract them to yours, provide the following:
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanuts
- Raisins
- Suet
8. Blue Jay
A beautiful bird that lives in the eastern parts of America is the blue jay. Blue jay birds are recognizable thanks to their bold blue feathers, pointed blue crests, black markings and white bellies. They're large, intelligent songbirds with loud calls, which they sometimes use to scare other birds away from feeders. Blue jays prefer to live where there are lots of trees and eat a varied diet of seeds, insects, fruits and nuts. They enjoy acorns and peanuts the most!
To attract a blue jay to your backyard, place the following on a feeder:
- Acorns
- Whole peanuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Suet
9. House Finch
Another bird that loves bird feeders is the house finch. These chattery little birds live in groups all over the U.S. in built-up areas like cities and suburbs. You can identify a male house finch by his red head and breast, and you can identify females by their brown bodies and white, striped bellies. House finches forage for seeds on the ground and perch up high in trees, where they make their nests.
Attract house finches to your yard with:
- Nyjer seeds.
- Sunflower seeds.
- White proso millet.
- Suet.
10. Red-Winged Blackbird
The last bird on our list is the red-winged blackbird, which is abundant across America. They prefer to live in marshes, rural areas and around water sources. The males are entirely black with unmistakable red and yellow spots on their shoulders, while the females are a streaky brown. You'll hear their "conk-la-lee" song in early spring. Red-winged blackbirds prefer to forage for insects and seeds on the ground, but they also eat snails, butterflies, fruit and eggs.
If you'd like to attract red-winged blackbirds to your yard, provide:
- Cracked corn.
- Sunflower seeds.
- Peanuts.
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