Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Subscribe
Save Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 35 One-Pan Meals Just Right for Dinner Tonight

      One pan, pot, skillet, or Instant Pot is all you need to for these no-fuss family dinners, including salmon, pasta, pot roast, chili, and so much more. Read More Next
    • The Best 2021 Bedroom Paint Colors

      Explore the best 2021 bedroom paint colors, according to paint experts. Read More Next
    • The Ultimate Guide to Household Cleaning: What You Should Be Cleaning When

      Our printable checklists will tell you what you should be doing every day, week, month, season—or every once in a while—to keep your home in ship-shape year round. Read More Next
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD

    Quick, Easy, and Delicious Pasta Recipes Ideal for Weeknight Dinners

    When you need a comforting meal but don't have a lot of time, whip up one of these fast pasta recipes. All can be made in 45 minutes or less.
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS

    17 St. Patrick's Day Crafts and Decorations

    Looking for a golden idea? You're in luck. Kick off your St. Patrick's Day celebrations with our shamrock garlands, rainbow balloons, leprechaun traps, and more.
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING

    The Best Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Every Month of the Year

    Get inspired to make your porch your new favorite living space with these ideas designed to add a refined look to any outdoor space.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME

    How to Disinfect Your Kitchen and Your Food During the Coronavirus Outbreak, According to Experts

    Keep everything from your countertops to your dining room chairs germ-free.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING

    How to Keep Your Houseplants Happy in the Winter

    Help them thrive even when the temperature drops.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Your Hands Properly, According to a Doctor

    You likely wash your hands several times a day, but are you doing so effectively? Learn how to minimize the spread of germs with an extra few seconds of scrubbing.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS

    How to Plan a Beautiful, Meaningful Micro Wedding So That You Can Celebrate Your Postponed Nuptials Right Now

    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY

    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    Learn how to knit your own mittens, hats, scarves, and more. We'll take you through the step-by-step instructions and teach you how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Six Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health While You Work from Home

    Start by carving out a designated work area in your space.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE

    How to Start a Virtual Book Club

    From which platforms to use and the best books to read, bibliophiles share their advice.
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Life
  3. Pets
  4. The Most Common Backyard Birds You'll See During the Winter

The Most Common Backyard Birds You'll See During the Winter

By Kier Holmes
January 28, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Danita Delimont / Getty Images

Bundle up and head outdoors this winter, and you'll find a snow-laden haven of cardinals, blue jays, and black-capped chickadees.

Start Slideshow

1 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Danita Delimont / Getty Images

Wintertime may seem like a quiet, hibernating period until you start focusing on our feathered friends. Surprisingly, there are plenty of birds soaring, skittering, and swooping in the air at this time of year. And if your garden isn't yet a trending hot spot for birds, there are many ways to attract avian visitors during the winter.

A good place to start planning for bird guests is in the summer and fall when certain late blooming flowers should not be pruned back but, instead, allowed to form seeds that the birds will enjoy as a tasty and much needed winter snack. Perfect perennials for letting go to seed are: asters, coreopsis, salvia, rudbeckia, and coneflowers. And if your garden and food sources are smothered in snow, you can be a good host by setting out bird feeders with the right high caloric food to keep them warm and survive the cold months. Suet and peanuts are a great source of protein for the bird visitors. And don't forget to set out some clean water and a give them a safe place to shelter, like a birdhouse, during these chilly days.

Want to take your enjoyable bird watching one step further? Nils Warnock, Ph.D, director of conservation science at Audubon Canyon Ranch says, "Bird watchers are one of science's most vital sources of data on how the ecological world is faring. Be a citizen scientist and join eBird through Cornell, Christmas Bird Counts through the National Audubon Society or local bird monitoring programs like Audubon Canyon Ranch's Heron or Egret colony monitoring program."

By planning ahead and providing birds with food and shelter during the winter, you will not only be supporting avian populations that are sadly in decline, but you will also be visually rewarded. And while the exact species that might visit you could vary due to geography, habitat, and range, here are some common birds to look out for.

1 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Black-Capped Chickadees

Credit: Education Images / Getty Images

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) not only has a super cute name, but its pettiness makes it even more adorable. They have black feathers on top and a patch under their beak. These birds especially love birch trees for nesting and enjoy a feeder full of suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.

2 of 12

3 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

American Goldfinch

Credit: Roberto Machado Noa / Getty Images

The sunny yellow-hued American goldfinch with a black forehead marking can be watched all over the states. For a real birdwatching activity, fill a seed bag with thistle and witness flocks of them dart around the feeder and feast with fervor. They also look for tiny seeds inside ornamental grasses and perennials like asters. 

3 of 12

Advertisement

4 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Credit: Larry Keller, Lititz Pa. / Getty Images

Partial to wooded areas and tree-filled backyards, the white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is adorned in multiple shades of black, gray, and white. This bird especially enjoys sunflower seeds—so much so that it will fly off with and then wedge them into a bark crevice or under a house shingle and pound away with its sharp beak.

4 of 12

5 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Blue Jay

Credit: Arpit Shende / EyeEm / Getty Images

As the name implies, the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) wears a distinctive bright blue coat and has a recognizable call. This species has adapted to living with people and it's not hard to attract this bold bird, as they will flock to any feeder.

5 of 12

6 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mourning Dove

Credit: Danita Delimont / Getty Images

The most common and widespread dove is the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) whose gentle cooing is often mistaken for an owl call. This friendly bird, dressed in brownish feathers and gray wings, is surprisingly comfortable around people. To attract them, set out seeds with millet, oat, and wheat.

6 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Tufted Titmouse

Credit: Steve Maslowski / Getty Images

Another charmingly and appropriately named bird, the tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) has crested gray feathers that peak proudly on its head. This little bird may be small but it is tough and can tackle cold winters. To keep them healthy and happy, offer them a snack of suet or sunflower seeds. By February and March, listen for their signature "Peter, Peter, Peter" call.

7 of 12

8 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Downy Woodpecker

Credit: Larry Keller, Lititz Pa. / Getty Images

The downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) is a smaller version of the classic woodpecker. This bird has an arrow straight beak and is mostly striped and spotted black and white with males sporting a red patch on the back of their head. Downy Woodpeckers are common feeder birds that enjoy suet and black oil sunflower seeds, and, according to allaboutbirds.org, occasionally drink from hummingbird feeders.

8 of 12

9 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Northern Cardinal

Credit: Joseph Devenney / Getty Images

The Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is not afraid of cold weather and therefore doesn't migrate. This bird is common in the East where it is the official state bird for seven states. The Northern cardinal is also not drab; it appears like a spark of fire with its brilliant red feathers on males and red tinged brown feathers on the females. You can lure these beauties with sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and peanuts.

9 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

American Robin

Credit: marcophotos / Getty Images

Recognizable all over the U.S. for its rusty pumpkin-hued chest contrasting with its grayish back, the American robin (Turdus migratorius) can be seen hunting the ground for worms or scouring trees for berries or bark for insects. And despite their frequent appearances in gardens, American Robin populations have sadly declined by over 2 million since 1970, reports Warnock.

10 of 12

11 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Anna's Hummingbird

Credit: VW Pics / Getty Images

Though common along the Pacific Coast, Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) is anything but common when it comes to its appearance. Their iridescent emerald feathers sparkle against their dazzling pink throats. This winter gem is easy to attract: Simply set out a hummingbird feeder filled with a homemade mixture of one part sugar to four parts water (skip the food coloring).

11 of 12

12 of 12

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Dark-Eyed Junco

Credit: Danita Delimont / Getty Images

The dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) is easy to recognize by their crisp markings and bright white tail feathers that flash when the bird is in flight. Discover these little sparrows in flocks at your feeders or on the ground beneath them where they also feed. Have on hand plenty of black-oil sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, cracked corn, or thistle.

12 of 12

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Kier Holmes

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 12
2 of 12 Black-Capped Chickadees
3 of 12 American Goldfinch
4 of 12 White-Breasted Nuthatch
5 of 12 Blue Jay
6 of 12 Mourning Dove
7 of 12 Tufted Titmouse
8 of 12 Downy Woodpecker
9 of 12 Northern Cardinal
10 of 12 American Robin
11 of 12 Anna's Hummingbird
12 of 12 Dark-Eyed Junco

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Martha Stewart

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service
  • Media Kit
  • Sitemap
  • Martha's Blog
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing
  • FAQ
  • Corporate
  • International

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Martha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

View image

The Most Common Backyard Birds You'll See During the Winter
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.