Medium · Lawn / Shrubs
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Look for a rusty breast and upright pauses between runs across grass.
View field marks →BIRD INDEX
Find a familiar bird.
Filter a starting set of 30 species by the clues you saw. Color includes common adult and immature appearances; region and season still matter.
Try a name such as “cardinal”, or combine Large and Green to find Mallard in this collection. Clear a clue if the result is empty.
30 birds
Small · Shrubs / Trees
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Look for a crest and a deep orange-red bill; females are mostly brown.
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Medium · Trees / Shrubs
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Look for a blue crest and white patches on the wings and tail.
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Small · Shrubs / Lawn
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Look for a small conical bill and contrasting wings; winter birds are duller.
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Small · Shrubs / Trees
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
Check for streaked flanks even on red-fronted males.
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Small · Trees / Shrubs
Purple Finch
Haemorhous purpureus
Check the strong eyebrow on brown birds and broadly rosy color on many males.
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Small · Buildings / Lawn
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
Look for a thick bill and association with buildings; males often show a dark bib.
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Small · Shrubs / Lawn / Pond
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Look for coarse breast streaks and a relatively long tail.
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Small · Shrubs / Lawn
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Look for a pale throat bordered by gray and a patterned crown.
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Small · Lawn / Shrubs
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Watch for white outer tail feathers when it takes flight.
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Small · Trees / Shrubs
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Look for a black cap, pale cheeks and pale edging on the folded wing.
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Small · Trees / Shrubs
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
Look for a compact gray bird with a black cap and pale cheeks.
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Small · Trees / Shrubs
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Look for a pointed gray crest and warm flanks.
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Small · Trees
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
Watch for a pale-faced bird moving headfirst down trunks.
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Small · Trees / Shrubs
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
Compare the short bill with the length of the head.
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Medium · Trees
Hairy Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus villosus
Look for a straight bill that projects well beyond the face.
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Medium · Trees
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Check the barred back and red on the head or nape.
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Medium · Lawn / Trees
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Look for a spotted underside and a white rump in flight.
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Large · Lawn / Trees / Buildings
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Look for a broad-winged black bird and listen for repeated caws.
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Large · Trees / Buildings
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Look for a heavy bill and a projecting wedge-shaped tail in favorable flight views.
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Medium · Lawn / Buildings / Trees
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Look for a short tail and pointed wings; fresh plumage can be heavily spotted.
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Medium · Lawn / Trees / Pond
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Look for a long tail and pale eye on adults.
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Medium · Pond / Lawn / Shrubs
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Look for red shoulder patches on many males; females are heavily streaked.
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Medium · Lawn / Trees
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Look for a slim body and a long pointed tail.
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Medium · Buildings / Lawn
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
Look for a stout body; plumage varies, including familiar gray birds with dark wing bars.
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Small · Shrubs / Lawn
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Look for warm sides, a white belly and a stout bill.
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Medium · Shrubs / Lawn / Trees
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Look for long proportions and white wing flashes in flight.
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Small · Trees / Shrubs
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Look for a smooth crest, dark mask and often a yellow tail tip.
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Large · Pond / Lawn
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Check for a broad flat bill; many adult males have a green head.
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Large · Pond / Lawn
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Look for a long black neck and white cheek patch.
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