Identify Your Common Backyard Birds (Central & Eastern USA)

This video enables identification of selected backyard feeder birds in the central and eastern USA. All still photos and video footage were taken in Auburn, Alabama. It is not an all inclusive presentation of nor was it intended to be a complete field guide for birds of these regions. Additional species will be added as an addendum as they are photographed. Several of these species are particularly noted during the winter months although many of them can be seen throughout the year. It was designed for use by new and amateur birders. Visual characteristics and bird calls are provided to enable identification. Suggested feeder food is provided for some species.

Per the good request of a viewer, the bird species included in this video along with their location in the video are as follows:

* Finches *
Pine Siskin - 0:43

Purple Finch - 1:12
House Finch - 1:43
American Goldfinch - 2:16
Northern Cardinal - 2:26

* Chickadees & Titmice *
Carolina Chickadee - 3:22
Tufted Titmouse - 3:37

* Woodpeckers, Nuthatches & Sparrows *
Downy Woodpecker - 3:59
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4:32
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 4:49
White-breasted Nuthatch - 5:06
Chipping Sparrow - 5:15

* Warblers *
Pine Warbler - 5:35
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 6:00
Orange-crowned Warbler - 6:14

* Wrens *
Carolina Wren - 6:39

* Jays & Blackbird *
Blue Jay - 7:15
Red-winged Blackbird - 7:30

* Mockingbirds & Doves *
Northern Mockingbird - 7:55
Mourning Dove - 8:16

* Hawks *
Red-shouldered Hawk - 8:37
Cooper's Hawk - 9:10

* Other Birds *
Baltimore Oriole - 9:49
Rufous Hummingnird - 9:59

[calvinjackson]

The mourning dove's call is absolutely unmistakable and memorable!!!

[dannioh]

My grandpa who died this year used to make the titmouse call every morning while he watched the birds. I didn't expect to cry so much from hearing it again.

[tommy]

All my life I’ve heard the call of the Mourning Dove and thought it was the most pleasant thing to wake up to. It reminds me of my childhood in the South. Only today, did I find out it’s actual name. Thanks for the help.

[FriendlyNeighborhoodFreak]

Once, when I was 10, a titmouse was drowning in a stream behind my house. I picked him up and carried him into the flower garden by my house. We had a few bird feeders and houses. I placed him down and took 2 steps away. I waited for him to fly, and off he went, into the woods. I thought that was the last time I'd see him. But no! He showed up on the porch the next day! Sitting on the ledge and chirping his head off! I gave him some seeds and tried to touch him, but he backed away. But when my hand was gone he hopped forward again and gobbled up the seeds. He stayed a bit longer, chirping for a while. Then fluttered off. This happens every few days now! He never forgot me. He wanted to show gratitude for what I'd done.

[michaelpz]

0:30 Finches
0:43 Pine Siskins
1:14 Purple Finch
1:41 House Finch
2:15 American Goldfinch
2:27 Northern Cardinal
3:21 Carolina Chickadee
3:37 Tufted Titmouse
3:57 Downy Woodpecker
4:31 Red-bellied Woodpecker
4:48 Brown-headed Nuthatch
5:05 White-breasted Nuthatch
5:14 Chipping Sparrow
5:34 Pine Warbler
6:00 Yellow-rumped Warbler
6:15 Orange-crowned Warbler
6:40 Carolina Wren
7:15 Blue Jay
7:35 Red-winged Blackbird
7:55 Northern Mockingbird
8:17 Mourning Dove
8:37 Red-shouldered Hawk
9:10 Cooper's Hawk
9:49 Baltimore Oriole
9:58 Rufous Hummingbirg

[timmybob]

My 96 year old Mom loves birds and she doesn’t get to hear them in the nursing home. Thanks to your video she can see a hear them. Thanks

[zoeallen]

Whenever I hear the mourning dove, I think back to the hot summer days where I would go camping with my family. I would always wake up in the morning in my tent to the sound of these birds. I'm not usually a morning person, but waking up to the birds is probably one of the highlights of camping. The nostalgia is insane. I feel such an emotional connection to this bird for some reason

[dinosaurcj]

The Carolina Wren sound is so iconic to me...I can't believe it, it's a sound that I didn't notice particularly often, but had such a presence in my life.

It makes me recall mornings of waiting for the bus before school, or just standing outside on the back porch in the morning on the weekends or Christmas break.

[sharyn]

I remember years ago seeing an episode of House Hunters where the lady wanted no trees anywhere close to her home because she did not want to be awakened by birds in the morning. I thought she was crazy then and the sentiment still holds true. This is one of the most relaxing peaceful sounds in life to me, next to the sound of water. Great video!

[zeemod]

I went crazy trying to identify a bird call. Only to realize the next day it was a chipmunk...

[lalalovengun]

Because of you I FINALLY can identify the bird call I've been wondering about for YEARS as the mourning dove!

[lisacorner]

Thank you for this. This is my connection to my grandfather who passed many, many years ago but the songs make me feel so close to him.

[josephhuth]

This is the background music for my memories, taking me back through time to the sounds of childhood; sounds that gave me peace, excitement, and joy during troubled times. Thank you Mr. Scharpf for posting this. You have made my day.

[kaylaflower]

I love how clearly you labeled this, it was easy to follow bird to call

[Patriot]

Well done. I take my cell phone outside and converse with my birds that I know have lost their mates. I love my birds and have conversations with them quite often. I would be lost without their beautiful songs and the best part is that they know who you are when they see you filling their feeders all the time. What a gift from God Almighty to us.

[KR]

Blue Jay's are funny to me. Their call is loud, and slightly aggressive- which totally embodies their personality. Mouring doves are my favorite- makes me think of boat sitting out in foggy water

[ganymeade]

OMG, I love, love, love birds so very much. Birds are so cute, friendly, and smart, and sing so beautifully. What is not to love about birds for life.

[vondalevan]

I’m a beginner birder & I very much appreciate the way you showed the birds with comparisons, labels, types of food etc. Seeing them in their natural environment & hearing them is loads better than looking at them in a book. Thank you for your work. 🙏🏼

[skyepuppy]

What I love about Mockingbirds is that they're easy to identify: They're the ones that can't decide which song to sing, but they keep trying to find the right song.

[alyssabird]

I absolutely love the sounds of the Tufted Titmouse, blue Jay, Carolina Wren, male Cardinal, and mourning dove. Had all of these in our backyard growing up, and they were pleasant and beautiful during the day ♡