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Backyard Bird Photos
These photos were all taken in my backyard in Illinois
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Red-Breasted Nuthatch: This is a picture of one of the Red-Breasted Nuthatches that visits our yard. Red-Breasted Nuthatches are very tame birds and can be closely approached. They are also one of the easiest birds to hand feed. One day when I was putting seeds in the feeder one landed right on my hand. Another time I was sitting in a chair (wearing a black coat) when one landed on my sleeve, looked up at me, then flew off. Nuthatches enjoy suet feeders as well as sunflower seeds and peanuts. Typically when they visit suet feeders they take their time trying to get a piece. However, when eating sunflower seeds they often enter the feeder, grab a seed, and quickly fly off before you even notice. They are also very attracted to pine trees and dead trees that provide insects to eat. |
Black-Capped Chickadee: Many people consider the chickadee to be their favorite bird. Chickadees are very playful like and polite birds. Like nuthatches, chickadees aren't very afraid of humans. They are well known for their call which goes chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Their song is a two note whistle, the first note being higher than the second. When startled they often make a three note faster pitched call that goes something like dee-da-lu. Although many people say that chickadees love thistle feeders, the chickadees in our area prefer sunflower seeds or peanuts. Chickadees don't spend long periods of time at the feeder they usually take turns getting seeds which they take to a near by bush or tree to eat. They are also very good at finding seeds. The chickadee above didn't have any trouble locating the seeds that I put on the window sill.
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Mourning Dove: Mourning Doves are known for their habit of perching on top of things. I often find mourning doves perched on our garage roof, on electrical wires, and even on top of our bird feeder. Mourning doves are also known for the noises they make. Many people enjoy mimicking the unique echoed hooing that the mourning dove makes. They're wings also make a neat whistling sound when they fly. Mourning doves are fairly tame if approached slowly. They usually forage along the ground but occasionally eat from sunflower feeders. They are often found in pairs, mates, siting side by side and are often given the nickname "love doves". |
 
American Goldfinch: Goldfinches are one type of bird that you can't usually attract just with a feeder filled with sunflower seeds. Goldfinches are very attracted to thistle feeders. They love small seeds from plants like thistles, and cone flower to name a few. Goldfinches have a sweet trilled song. In flight they almost always make a distinctive call that goes per-chik-o-ree. They are also one of the few backyard birds that ungulate when flying. Goldfinches are somewhat tame if approached very slowly. |
Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Red Belly) : Red bellied woodpeckers aren't that common in backyards but can be attracted by suet feeders and mature, dead, or aging trees. Red Bellys usually make their entrances known with their call which is a rolling churr. They also make a noisy single note call as they hop up a tree looking for bugs. Red Bellys have a striped black and white back and a striking red cap on their heads. The woodpecker above is enjoying sunflower seeds and bugs in our cherry tree. Red bellied woodpeckers aren't very tame but if you sit fairly still and at least twelve feet away from a suet feeder they may come for a visit.
House Sparrow: House sparrows are one of the most abundant backyard birds. They come in large numbers and can quickly deplete seeds from most types of feeders. They are also very aggressive and aren't scared easily by other birds. Although they will eat thistle, millet, and even suet, they seem to prefer sunflower seeds. They usually make a single note chirp. When in large numbers the chirps coming from all of them can quickly "flood" an otherwise quiet backyard. They are the most common inhabitants of basic bird houses and often nest in vines on houses. Although many people consider them to be boring birds, you have to admit that the one above is very photogenic. House sparrows are easily startled when eating but are tame when they are perched on wires or other places where they feel safe and secure.
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American Robin: Robins are considered by many as a spring time bird because they are usually the first birds to return to the mid-west after winter passes. Robins are always seen foraging on the ground. They often come out after it rains to eat worms who have been flooded out of the ground. They also enjoy insects and many types of berries. Robins are very attracted to the sound of running water. They love bathing in bird baths, ponds, and fountains. They sing a very loud, variable song. Their calls include a three note tut tut tut and a single high pitched whistle similar to a waxwing but more musical. Robins are only somewhat tame. They will often run a short distance when you approach and fly off if they get the impression that you are following them. |
Blue Jay: Blue jays are very interesting looking birds.
The mixture of colors along with the black necklace and crest give blue
jays a neat look. Blue jays make occasional visits to feeders.
They enjoy sunflower seeds and large nuts like peanuts. They are
also very noisy and energetic birds. They are very aggressive and
will often scare other birds out of a bird feeder. You have to keep
an eye on them if their are bird nests in the area. Blue Jays are
well known for sneaking into other birds nests and eating the eggs.
I have seen them trying to get to eggs in cardinal nests on more than one
occasion. This is usually a bad idea because the mother is usually
present but there are times when the nest is unguarded when a blue jay
can sneak in unnoticed.
Blue jays aren't very tame. The ones in the pictures above were
taken through the dining room window.
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White-Breasted Nuthatch: White-Breasted Nuthatches are usually not as tame as Red-Breasted Nuthatches. The bird picture however was cold and enjoying his seat so much that he didn't want to leave. White-Breasted Nuthatches enjoy suet feeders and peanuts as well as sunflower seeds. They are also usually less active than other nuthatches and will take their time at feeders. They are also very attracted to dead trees that provide insects to eat, especially aged oak trees. You can often hear their "yank yank" call from up high in a tree. |
Downy Woodpecker: Downy woodpeckers are one of the most common backyard woodpeckers. They can often be found at suet feeders and occasionally they will eat sunflower seeds from a feeder. They often are found in pairs. The male has a small patch of red on the back of the head which isn't present on the female. Downys are very tame compared to most other woodpeckers. You can usually walk at a normal pace and still get within at least nine feet before they will fly away.
Hairy Woodpecker: The Hairy Woodpecker is another frequent backyard visitor, but is not as common as the Downy Woodpecker. They are often found at suet feeders and occasionally they will eat sunflower seeds or peanuts from a feeder. Hairy Woodpeckers are not tame and usually fly off the minute a person walks into view. Hairy Woodpeckers have bills that are much longer than Downy Woodpeckers and are overall much larger. The one in the photo to the left is obviously larger than a standard sized suet feeder unlike the Downy which is similar in size to the feeder. The Hairy's call is very similar to a Downy's but is sharper, louder, and more hollow sounding.
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Brown Creeper: Brown Creepers are rare visitors to backyards. However, a backyard with oak trees, cherry trees, or other large aging trees will often attract them yearly. Brown Creepers do not usually come to feeders, but will occasionally eat raw suet that is smeared onto a tree. They get their name from the way that they slowly creep up the side of a tree. Although they may seem like plain birds, Brown Creepers have a loud high pitched call that sounds almost like a warbler. Brown Creepers are somewhat tame, but are very elusive and camouflage very well with tree bark. The long tail on a brown creeper is an excellent way to tell it apart from both species of nuthatches which also creep up the sides of trees. |
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Cooper's Hawk: JA yard active with birds will often catch the eye of a Cooper's Hawk. Usually the most common backyard hawk, Cooper's Hawks are often attracted to sparrows and yards with lots of rodents. When hunting birds or prey, unlike this immature bird, they usually hide and watch from up in a tree. Then they quickly swoop down and extend their sharp talons sending all the birds scattering. They are very similar to Sharp-Shinned Hawks but are larger and are usually found in more wooded habitats. They are not usually tame, but the bird |
White-Throated Sparrow (white throat) : White-Throated sparrows are intriguing looking birds. They can usually be seen in late fall and early spring during migration. White-throated sparrows like to forage along the ground. They can often be distinguished from house sparrows just because of the way they act. Unlike house sparrows white throats like to scratch the ground to stir up seeds buried in the grass. They enjoy sunflower seeds as well as millet. White throats are only somewhat tame but they don't get startled as easily as house sparrows. They also have a neat song that goes "You'll seeeee somebody somebody somebody" or "Old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody"
Song Sparrow: Song Sparrows are common birds at preserves, but are not very common in urban backyards. The Song Sparrow above is the only one that I have seen in our yard. Song Sparrows are usually attracted to millet, but will also eat sunflower seeds. They often scratch in the ground like White-Throated Sparrows and are also somewhat tame compared to House Sparrows which are easily startled.
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Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker: The Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker is a rare backyard visitor. They are only seen in yards with mature or dead trees. They hardly ever visit feeders, but rather spend their time looking for bugs in rotten wood. They have a noticeable red throat and unique irregular white spotting on their backs. Look for them in early spring and fall when they migrate through the mid-west. |
Dark-Eyed Junco: Juncos have recently been grouped together due to interbreeding between formerly separate species and for other reasons. Due to the variety of sub-species, juncos can take on a number of different appearances. One notable trait of juncos are the white feathers on the sides of the tail which "flash" as the junco flies off from the ground. Juncos usually forage on the ground. They also enjoy eating sunflower seeds as well as millet and even thistle on occasion. Juncos are usually seen from mid to late fall to early spring. They are not very tame and usually fly as soon as they see you. The pictures of the ones above were taken through a window.
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European Starling: Released in New York in 1890, Starlings have since become an abundant species. They can arrive in large flocks at your feeder and scare away other birds. They enjoy many types of seeds including sunflower seeds. They also enjoy some types of suet and berries. Starlings make a couple harsh and whistled calls that can be very annoying. They can also mimic calls of other birds. In winter Starlings are brownish and black in color with white spots. In the sunlight their feathers also reflect back iridescent greens and purples. In the summer the white spots turn to brown and the their bills turn yellow and the feathers are more iridescent. Starlings can be seen throughout the year. During cold weather they enjoy perching on the tops of roofs and chimneys. |
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| Northern Cardinal: Northern Cardinals are common backyard birds. They are often found in pairs and often nest in backyards. Cardinals are very alert birds that aren't very tame. The male will often keep guard while the female eats. The male and the female will occasionally exchange seeds that they are holding in their beaks. They like a couple types of seeds including sunflower seeds. Cardinals are fairly aggressive at the bird feeders and will often case other birds out of the feeder. The bright red males are very territorial. In the spring (and occasionally during other seasons) the male will sit high in a tree and sing a beautiful song that will tell other males that this is his territory. |
| House Finch: House Finches are very common in some backyards. House finches are slightly tamer than sparrows but they are easily startled. House finches like sunflower seeds, thistle, and some other types of seeds. They are often mistaken as Purple Finches which are similar in appearance. House Finches were originally only found in the western US but were released in New York in 1940 and have made their way west from New York. The eastern populations have been under review by Cornell University because of an eye disease that many of the birds have gotten. It appears to be isolated to house finches but it can be spread between individual house finches who visit your feeder. If you have a house finch with this disease at your feeder or if you want to learn more you can visit www.birds.cornell.edu . |
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Pine Siskin: During years when pine cone crops are low up north, large numbers of Pine Siskins venture further south into Illinois, although they can be found in small numbers almost every year. Pine Siskins are almost always attracted to thistle feeders. Once they find a thistle feeder and a good supply of food, they will often stay in the area throughout the winter and even early spring. Similar in manner to Goldfinches, they are somewhat tame if approached very slowly. They can be identified by their strong black stripping that is more well defined than female house finches. Upon close inspection you can also see the yellow on the back of the male's wings. The Pine Siskins at left were eating sunflower seeds on a very cold day to help boost their energy and keep warm. |
American Crow: When walking outside it is very common to hear the "caw caw" call of the American Crow. Crows commonly fly over backyards and occasionally come in a yard to eat or get a drink as the above immature crow is doing. Hawks and Owls can often be found by following a very noisy and obviously upset group of crows. Crows are known to be very smart birds with complex communities. Research has shown that crows often appoint "guards" to keep watch and sound an alert call if a predator is seen. When the guard neglects it's duties and another crow spots a hawk or owl, the guard will often be attacked or even killed by the group.
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Cedar Waxwing: When berries are ripe in the fall and winter a backyard may attract a flock of Cedar Waxwings. Cedar Waxwings are often seen perched up in trees and are often heard giving off a high whistled call. The call can often be confused with the call of a robin which is very similar but is less harsh and drops down more at the end. Cedar Waxwings can be very tame, especially if they are busy eating berries. The bird at left had just finished eating some berries from a juniper tree in our front yard. |
About the Photos: These photos were all taken using a basic digital camera with a 2x digital zoom. In most pictures the digital camera was also placed up to the lens of 8x binoculars or a 20x-60x spotting scope. If you have any questions, corrections or suggestions, please e-mail me
All Photos © Copyright 2000 Eric Secker
MORE PHOTOS COMING!