Birdwatching has become a beloved hobby for many Americans, and there's no better place to start than your own backyard. Getting to know the most common backyard birds can enhance your appreciation for these feathered visitors.
1. The American Robin
The American robin exhibits a head coloration ranging from jet black to gray, complemented by white eye arcs and distinct white supercilia. Its throat is characterized by white with black streaks, while the belly and undertail coverts are predominantly white. The bird's back is brown, and its breast displays a reddish-orange hue, which can vary from a deep maroon to a peachy orange. The bill is primarily yellow with a darker tip that becomes more pronounced during winter, and the legs and feet are brown.This species is primarily diurnal, with notable changes in social behavior between seasons. In winter, American robins congregate in large flocks during the night, roosting in trees within secluded swamps or dense vegetation. These flocks disperse during the day as the birds forage for fruits and berries in smaller groups. Conversely, in the summer, the American robin becomes more territorial, focusing on defending its breeding grounds and displaying reduced social interaction.
How to Attract American Robins :
- Plant fruit-bearing trees: Robins love berries, so consider adding shrubs like holly, dogwood, or juniper to your garden.
- Provide a birdbath: These birds are attracted to water sources, so a shallow birdbath can be a great way to entice them into your yard.
2. The Northern Cardinal
The northern cardinal exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with females characterized by a reddish-olive hue and a gray mask around the beak, while males are distinguished by their vibrant red plumage, a black facial mask, and a more prominent crest. Juvenile cardinals lack the characteristic red-orange beak of adults, initially having grayish-black beaks at hatching. The beak gradually transitions to the distinctive orange-red coloration as they approach maturity and acquire their adult plumage in the fall.
The diet of adult northern cardinals is predominantly composed of weed seeds, grains, and fruits, making up as much as 90% of their intake. As ground feeders, these birds forage by hopping through trees and shrubbery. Their diet also includes snails and various insects, such as beetles, cicadas, and grasshoppers, with juvenile cardinals being fed primarily on insects. Additional dietary items include corn, oats, sunflower seeds, the blossoms and bark of elm trees, and maple sap, which they obtain from holes created by sapsuckers.
- Offer sunflower seeds:Cardinals are particularly fond of sunflower seeds, so adding a feeder stocked with them is a sure way to attract these vibrant birds.
- Provide dense shrubbery:Cardinals prefer to nest and roost in dense shrubs or thickets, so planting bushes like honeysuckle or privet can create an inviting habitat.
3. The Blue Jay
The northern cardinal displays significant sexual dimorphism, with females exhibiting a reddish-olive coloration accompanied by a gray mask surrounding the beak, while males are marked by their striking red plumage, black facial mask, and a more pronounced crest. Juvenile cardinals are initially devoid of the characteristic red-orange beak seen in adults, possessing instead a grayish-black beak at hatching. This beak gradually transforms into the distinctive orange-red hue as the juveniles reach maturity and develop their adult plumage in the fall.
The geographical distribution of northern cardinals is extensive across the eastern United States, from the southern half of Maine to Minnesota, and further south to the Texas-Mexico border. In Canada, the species is found in the southern parts of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, extending eastward to Cape Breton Island. The range of this species also stretches south through Mexico to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, northern Guatemala, and northern Belize. Additionally, an allopatric population exists on the Pacific slope of Mexico, ranging from Jalisco to Oaxaca.
The diet of adult northern cardinals is primarily composed of weed seeds, grains, and fruits, accounting for up to 90% of their food intake. These birds are ground feeders, typically foraging by hopping through trees and shrubbery. Their diet is supplemented by snails and various insects, including beetles, cicadas, and grasshoppers, with juvenile cardinals being fed predominantly on insects. Other common dietary components include corn, oats, sunflower seeds, the blossoms and bark of elm trees, as well as maple sap, which they access from holes drilled by sapsuckers.
How to Attract Blue Jays:
- Offer peanuts:Blue Jays love peanuts, whether in the shell or out. A feeder with a steady supply of peanuts is sure to draw them in.
- Provide a bird bath:Blue Jays enjoy bathing, so a large, shallow bird bath can be a great addition to your yard.
4. The American Goldfinch
The American goldfinch possesses a small, conical beak that is typically pink for most of the year, transitioning to a bright orange hue during the spring molt in both males and females. The beak's shape and size are well-adapted for extracting seeds from the seed heads of plants such as thistles, sunflowers, and others.
This species favors open habitats where weeds are abundant, including fields, meadows, flood plains, as well as roadsides, orchards, and gardens. It is also found in open deciduous and riparian woodlands and areas of secondary growth. These habitat preferences persist throughout the spring and autumn migrations. The summer breeding range of the American goldfinch spans across North America, from the eastern to the western coasts. Its northern limit is marked by Saskatchewan, extending southward to North Carolina on the east coast and northern California on the west coast.
Primarily granivorous, the American goldfinch consumes a diet mainly consisting of seeds from a diverse array of plants, particularly those of weeds, grasses, and trees, including thistle, teasel, dandelion, ragweed, mullein, cosmos, goatsbeard, sunflower, and alder. The species occasionally supplements its diet with insects, which are also fed to the young to meet their protein requirements. Additionally, it consumes tree buds, maple sap, and berries. In winter, the goldfinch frequents bird feeders provided by humans, showing a preference for Niger seed, which is often mistakenly referred to as thistle seed.
5. The House Sparrow
The house sparrow's plumage predominantly features various shades of gray and brown, with notable sexual dimorphism between the sexes. Females are primarily buff-colored both above and below, whereas males display striking head markings, a reddish back, and gray underparts. The male's crown is dark gray, extending from the top of the bill to the back, flanked by chestnut brown on the sides of the head. Additionally, the male has black markings around the bill, on the throat, and in the lores, the area between the bill and the eyes.
The house sparrow is closely associated with human environments and thrives in both urban and rural settings. Despite its presence in a wide range of habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and arid deserts far removed from human habitation.
In terms of diet, the house sparrow frequently feeds at both home and public bird feeding stations, but its natural diet consists primarily of seeds from grains, flowering plants, and weeds. As an opportunistic omnivore, it also readily consumes insects, larvae, caterpillars, invertebrates, and various other natural food sources.
How to Manage House Sparrows in Your Yard:
- Provide diverse food sources: Offering a variety of seeds, grains, and even insects can attract a range of bird species, not just House Sparrows.
- Use birdhouses with small entrance holes: If you want to limit House Sparrow nesting, consider using birdhouses with entrance holes smaller than 1.5 inches, which are too small for sparrows but suitable for other species.
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