Over 32 avian species potentially making an appearance in your garden
In the heart of North American gardens, a vibrant avian community thrives, with species such as cardinals, bluebirds, chickadees, sparrows, finches, robins, waxwings, hummingbirds, and jays making regular appearances [1][2][3][4]. This diverse bird population extends to the Pacific Northwest, where Oregon Juncos and Varied Thrushes are frequent garden visitors.
Golden Eagles, found in Alaska and most western states, soar majestically in the skies, fearless hunters that can reach up to 200mph. On the other hand, Dark-eyed Juncos, most likely to be spotted during the winter months, are seed-eaters but are partial to berries and cracked corn.
Eastern Bluebirds prefer flat feeder surfaces but will live off dried mealworms and berries. Their counterparts, the American Bald Eagles, have a staple diet of fish but will eat any prey they can find, including birds, reptiles, and mammals. Blue Jays, living in forests and residential areas across eastern and central North America, feed from bird baths, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet.
Chipping Sparrows can be spotted flitting across North America, foraging for seeds on the ground. Social birds like Carolina Chickadees are sighted across the southeastern states of America. Lesser Goldfinches are the smallest of all North American goldfinches and stick to treetops and weedy fields.
Pileated Woodpeckers, native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada, forage in forest floors, dead trees, or stumps. Common Chaffinches, often referred to as a Bird of the Old World, prefer to spend their time on the ground foraging for food. Reed Buntings live in wetlands and farmland and can be spotted in rural gardens away from busy towns and cities.
Northern Mockingbirds won't often visit feeders but prefer to devour food from fruiting trees or bushes like hawthorns and blackberry brambles. Wood Pigeons, the largest pigeon species in North America, love devouring seeds and nuts. European Starlings, stocky in appearance and known for being noisy and aggressive, devour insects, berries, fruits, and seeds.
Song Sparrows are sighted throughout most of North America and often sing to attract females. Black-capped Chickadees are one of the most studied and frequent songbirds to feeders and backyards in North America, easily identifiable thanks to their black cap-like markings.
To attract these birds to your garden, you can:
- Plant bird-friendly vegetation that provides food, shelter, and nesting opportunities. For example:
- Sunflowers: Their large seed heads attract finches, sparrows, and chickadees with seeds from late summer into winter [4].
- Serviceberry: Offers juicy berries that appeal to robins, cardinals, and waxwings, plus spring blooms attracting various birds [2][4].
- Red Cedar: Evergreen with dense foliage and berries suitable for cardinals, bluebirds, and woodpeckers [2].
- California Lilac and Manzanita: Shrubs with nectar and berries attract hummingbirds, warblers, and jays in the western US [2].
- Lavender: Attracts insects that in turn feed birds like hummingbirds and warblers [2].
- Provide food sources appropriate to different bird species by using bird feeders with seeds, suet, or nectar feeders (especially for hummingbirds) [1][4].
- Create shelter and nesting sites with dense shrubs, trees, or birdhouses that protect birds from predators and harsh weather.
- Offer water sources such as birdbaths or shallow water features to attract drinking and bathing birds.
By combining native plants suited to your region and supplemental feeding and shelter, your garden can support a rich variety of common North American birds year-round [1][2][4]. Common Grackles, with their distinctive walk across suburban lawns to scour for insects, are also likely visitors to your garden.
- In addition to a diverse bird population, your home-and-garden could also attract dogs and cats as pets, enriching your lifestyle with their companionship.
- Similarly, a well-planned home-and-garden can provide suitable food for pets, such as dog food and cat food, while also offering a variety of food sources for birds, like sunflower seeds for chipping sparrows and blue jays.
- Besides cultivating bird-friendly vegetation, creating a home-and-garden that caters to pet needs also involves providing shelter, such as dog houses or cat trees, and offering fresh water in pet water bowls, maintaining a pet-friendly and bird-friendly environment.
