Are you looking for backyard birds in Ohio? This guide will help you identify the different species and what to expect when observing them. You’ll also learn about the best ways to attract them to your yard, and which Ohio state birds are the most common.
I’ll give you tips on how to identify different species, what they like best, as well as a list of things that are good for them and their environment. This guide also includes pictures and sounds of the birds so that it can be more helpful to identify the beautiful birds in your backyard.
For other birds in Ohio see our article on Owls in Ohio, Hawks in Ohio, and Woodpeckers in Ohio.
Table of Contents
What are some common backyard birds in Ohio?
1. Northern Cardinal
Scientific Name:Cardinalis cardinalis Size:8.3-9.1 inches
The Northern Cardinal is one of the most common and popular backyard birds in the eastern half of the United States. It is the state bird in Ohio since 1933. and is found in Ohio year-round.
A male cardinal is a bright red in color and the female is a brownish color with red on its wings. The male’s crest is also longer than the female’s. They both have a thick finch bill with black around their faces.
The Northern Cardinal is a songbird and males sing from high perches to attract mates. They are very territorial and will defend their territory from other Cardinals
The Northern Cardinal is a seed eater, eating seeds from the ground or off plants. They also eat insects, fruits, and berries when available.
Cardinals are frequent users of feeders and are attracted by wild bird seed mix, black-oil sunflower seeds, and safflower seeds.
It is often said that when a “cardinal appears a loved one is near”, so the cardinal brings peace of mind to many.
Song And Call
2. Hairy Woodpecker
Scientific Name:Leuconotopicus villosus Size:7.1-10.2 inches
Very similar to the Downy Woodpecker in color and looks except the Hairy Woodpecker is larger in size and has a longer bill.
The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird with striped heads and an erect, straight-backed posture while on trees. Male Hairy Woodpeckers can be identified by a red dot above their heads.
They eat small worms, insects, seeds, and berries. The Hairy Woodpecker frequents bird feeders to eat suet.
Year-round residence to Ohio’s backyards and also wood forests especially pine trees. If you don’t see them you will definitely hear them drumming on trees.
Call
Drumming
3. American Robin
Scientific Name:Turdus migratoriusSize:7.9-11.0 inches
The American Robin is a migratory bird that can be found throughout North America. Its body shape and plumage resemble that of the Blue Jay. They are brown and orange.
The American Robin is found in many different habitats including woodlands, forests, fields, parks, and lawns. In winter, when food sources are limited by cold weather conditions, the American Robin will migrate south. It returns north each spring when conditions are more conducive for finding food.
The American Robin primarily eats fruits, berries, snails, earthworms, and insects. They nest in wooded areas or backyards.
To attract American Robins to your backyard feeders with sunflower seeds, suet and peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms.
Song and call
4. American Crow
Scientific Name: Corvus brachyrhynchosSize: 15.8-20.9 inches
The American Crow is not a crow at all. It is a raven, but it has been called the “American Crow” for many years. This all-black bird has shiny feathers. The bill is also black with a hook on the end. The male is slightly glossier than the female.
The American Crow will eat just about anything including seeds, nuts, worms, and small animals such as mice as well as steal and eat eggs from other birds like robins, sparrows, loons, jays, and eiders. They will even eat garbage from the dumps.
These crows can be seen throughout the United States but differ in size by region. Eastern crows are the ones you will see in Ohio throughout the year and are larger than what you will see on the west coast. In Florida, the American Crow is smaller but has large feet. And the Northwestern Crow, once thought to be a different species are smaller with a deeper voice.
You will find these crows on lawns, open fields, woodlands, parking lots, and in towns as well as in cities.
The American Crow is an aggressive bird that will chase many large birds like eagles and hawks. Many times you will see them in flocks of up to 1000 birds.
Song And Call
5. Eastern Bluebird
Scientific Name: Sialia sialisSize: 6.3-8.3 inches
The Eastern Bluebird is a beautiful bird that is seen in many parts of the United States. It is most commonly seen in Ohio, where it has an observation frequency of 15%.
The Eastern Bluebird has blue wings, a head and upper parts, and an orange-brown collar around its neck. Eastern Bluebirds are small, round birds with a deep blue back and a reddish underside.
Their diet mainly consists of small fruits, berries, seeds, and worms. Eastern Bluebirds can be attracted to your backyard by offering mealworms and nest boxes.
Song and Call
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
Scientific Name:Sitta carolinensisSize:5.1-5.5 inches
The White-breasted Nuthatch is a small bird with a black stripe on its head. The male has a black cap while the female has a white one.
The White-breasted Nuthatch will visit most seed feeders and like mixed seed blends, black sunflower seeds, peanut butter, peanuts, or suet. They usually like to grab and run, taking a seed and immediately flying off to eat it or cache it in a nearby tree.
They are a very common bird to see in Ohio.
Song And Call
They are known for their call.
7. Carolina Wren
Scientific Name:Troglodytes aedonSize:4.35.1 inches
A lot of birds packed into a tiny body. Carolina Wrens are aggressive and loud and have no issue chasing off larger birds from their neighborhood. Small, brown bird with creamy-colored breasts, distinctive white eye stripe, white wing bars, and a co*cked-up tail.
The Carolina wren mostly eats insects and spiders. On occasion, they will eat some plant material and seeds.
They can be found in bushes and trees. It can also be found on the ground. It’s a common bird in Ohio and is mostly seen between April and October.
Song And Call
Carolina Wrens have a lot to say. If you hear something that sounds like a finger running down a comb, that’s a Carolina Wren. The easiest call to learn is the “Tea Kettle, Tea Kettle, Tea Kettle” call.
8. Mourning Dove
Scientific Name:Zenaida mactouraSize:9.1-13.4 inches
The Mourning Dove is a medium-sized bird that is very common in Ohio. They have a high reproductive rate and are not picky about where they live. The coloration of mourning doves is subdued and generally brown with darker brown spotting on the back and wings.
They can be found in open lands, such as agricultural fields and grasslands, as well as areas of open woodland.
Mourning Doves are one of the vacuums of the bird world, so they don’t eat from feeders but from what falls on the ground when other birds use your feeder. They also eat insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles.
Song And Call
Their calls sound quite sad, making them easy to identify.
9. European Starling
Scientific Name:Sturnus vulgaris Size:7.9-9.1 inches
The European Starling is the size of a Robin and from a distance looks all black. However, they have a purplish-green iridescent color to them when you see them up close. Their yellow bill stands out and they have short tails.
The European Starling likes to eat small insects, worms, small seeds, and berries and frequents bird feeders.
They are seen year-round in Ohio living where humans are, in towns and cities, and roost in trees and on buildings, also you will see them on wires. They like open fields and lawns and are not far from a water source. You often see them in large flocks with blackbirds and grackles.
Song and Call
10. House Finch
Scientific Name:Haemorhous mexicanusSize:5.1-5.5 inches
The House Finch is a small, colorful bird that is easy to spot in residential areas. The color differs between males and females; males have a reddish face and upper breast, with brown streaks on their back, belly, and tail. Females have a gray and brown pattern on their feathers.
House Finches are found across North America. They prefer to eat small worms, small seeds, and insects but their diet consists of seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. They migrate during the winter months to find food sources.
Song And Call
The House Finch has a high-pitched sound that the male House Finch mostly uses to attract the female for breeding.
11. House Sparrow
Scientific Name:Passer domesticusSize:5.9-6.7 inches
The House Sparrow is a small bird that can be found all over the world. In Ohio, it is seen year-round and has a thick fat belly. The females and young House Sparrows are pale brown and grey, while the males have more black and brown markings. The House Sparrow is a small, human-friendly bird that frequents bird feeders.
The House Sparrow is a small, human-friendly bird that frequents bird feeders. It is attracted to urban and suburban areas with plenty of food sources. It is often seen eating seeds, grains, insects, and small vertebrates. The House Sparrow is not a migratory bird species but remains in its territory year-round.
Song And Call
12. American Goldfinches
Scientific Name:Spinus tristis Size:4.3-5.1 inches
Description And Field Marks
The American Goldfinch is a small, sparrow-sized bird with a short, notched tail.
In Spring and Summer, the male has a bright yellow body, black wings with wing bars, and a heavy, finch-like bill, while the female is less boldly colored. In winter both males and females become dull green-gray and look like female House Finches.
Goldfinches are very social birds and often travel in flocks. They fly in a rolling up-and-down pattern, and their song is high-pitched and mellifluous.
They love Nyjer and sunflower seeds year-round, but will also eat a finch seed blend. Finch feeders have very small openings and can be either rigid feeders or disposable nylon socks.
American Goldfinches are spotted in Ohio yearly, but their numbers increase during the breeding season. Breeding usually starts in late April or early May.
Song And Call
13. Red-winged Blackbird
Scientific Name:Agelaius phoeniceusSize:6.7-9.1 inches
- This common and easily recognizable bird can be spotted all year in Ohio but is especially common during the summer months.
- As with most birds, the males are brighter than the females who are usually brown in color with dark stripes on their undersides. The females also have white eyebrow-like markings above their eyes.
- The Red-winged blackbird occurs all across Ohio, although they prefer habitats that are open and wet – preferring habitats like wet meadows, cattail marshes, and other open habitats. If you’re looking for one of these birds, the good news is that they can be spotted almost everywhere!
- In wintertime, they roost into the millions in large groups along roadsides and other open habitats.
- The bird’s loud and jarring “conk-a-ree-onk” call can be heard all across Ohio, and they’re easy to identify thanks to their red wings and shiny black feathers.
- If you’d like to attract Red-winged blackbirds to your backyard, try scattering some mixed grain and seeds on the ground or hanging a large tube feeder from a tree in your yard. They’ll also enjoy eating from platform feeders or large bird baths.
Song And Call
Red-winged blackbirds can often be heard singing from a perch high in a tree or on power lines.
They have a loud, clear whistle that sounds like “fee-bee” and they also make a variety of cackling and chattering noises.
14. Song Sparrows
Scientific Name:Melospiza melodiaSize:4.7-6.7 inches
The Song Sparrow is a medium size bulky sparrow. Their mostly brown body has streaks of white/light gray throughout. It has a long rounded tail and broad wings.
It’s larger than a chipping sparrow but smaller than a dark-eyed junco.
It eats insects, seeds, and berries. They will come to your feeders for any kind of seeds or suet.
Song Sparrows are very common in Ohio. They can be found all over the state.
Song And Call
The Song Sparrow has a song that sounds like “chink, chink.”
15. Common Grackle
Scientific Name:Quiscalus quisculaSize:11.0-15.4 inches
The Common Grackle is part of the blackbird family and all blackbirds have iridescent feathers (usually dark blue or purple). They are often found in large flocks during the summer months.
Grackles are often mistaken for crows, but they are much smaller in size and can be distinguished by their long tails and shiny black feathers. They have yellow eyes and their size is larger than a robin.
The Common Grackle’s habitat includes open woodlands, marshes, parks, and fields. To attract more Common Grackles to your backyard, feed them with mixed grains and seeds sprinkled on the ground or platform feeders.
Grackles are very intelligent birds that sometimes use their beaks to turn over rocks in search of insects. You will also find them find at farm fields where they will eat the seeds from corn and rice.
Grackles can be found throughout the United States in parks, yards, open fields, and woodlands. They are very adaptable birds that have learned to thrive in cities where they often find food and water.
Song And Call
Grackles can also be heard making a wide range of calls that include whistles and rattling sounds.
16. Red-bellied Woodpecker
Scientific Name:Melanerpes carolinusSize:9.4 inches
Red-bellied woodpeckers are a common backyard bird in Ohio. They are gray with faint red on their bellies and have a black and white striped pattern on their back and wings. You can see them in hardwood forests but can also be found in pine trees, residential areas, orchards, and even urban parks.
It’s big, it’s loud, and it will peck on your siding.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers devour spiders, insects, and seeds from grasses, fruits, and nuts. They are especially fond of acorns and beech nuts. In fact, they play an important role in dispersing these seeds since they often cache (or store) more food than they can eat in one sitting.
Loves suet, peanut butter, and peanuts
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are found in all Eastern US states, and they don’t migrate. This means that you can see them in your backyard all year round! They tend to stay close to the ground and can often be found in birdfeeders, specifically in wooded areas.
Call
Drumming
17. Downy Woodpecker
Scientific Name:Dryobates pubescens Size:5.5-6.7 inches
The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America. It has a black-and-white striped head and black wings with white spots and a solid white back and white underparts. The Downy Woodpecker has a black tail with white outer tail feathers with black bars or spots. The male has a small red spot on the back of his head.
Mostly Downy Woodpeckers eat insects. The male tends to eat from the ground while the female likes to find insects from branches and in trees. They will also eat seeds, weeds, and fruit.
The Downy Woodpecker will visit your backyard feeders for suet and nuts.
The Downy Woodpecker is a common bird found throughout Ohio in places where there are trees. You will see them in residential areas, cities, farmland, and wooded areas.
Song And Call
Drumming
18. Cedar Waxwings
Scientific Name:Bombycilla cedrorumSize:5.5-6.7 inches
In the spring males sport bright red feathers on their wings that give them the name Cedar waxwing. They have a yellow ban on the tip of the tail. Cedar waxwings are small birds, averaging only 5.5 inches long.
During the winter months, Cedar waxwings feed on fruits and berries, but in the spring they switch to insects.
They eat berries, nectar, and insects.
Found year-round in Ohio, the Cedar waxwing can be identified by its dark brown body, white belly, and yellow undertail coverts.
Cedar waxwings are common in the northern U.S. and can be found in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.
Song And Call
19. Baltimore Oriole
Scientific Name: Icterus galbulaSize: 6.7-7.5 inches
The Baltimore oriole is a common backyard bird, but you may have to look carefully for it. It spends most of its time high in the treetops and is often hard to see.
The Baltimore oriole is a medium-sized bird. It has black plumage, orange body feathers, and bright yellow underparts. The male oriole has a large patch of orange on the back of its neck and two black spots on each side of its head.
The female oriole has a black patch on the back of her neck and one spot on each side of her head. The female is duller than the male and sometimes has a brownish tinge to the black feathers.
The Baltimore Oriole eats insects and worms. They are also common visitors to feeders, where they will eat fruit and suet, grape jelly, and nectar.
In Ohio, you will start to see Baltimore Orioles beginning in April. They will stay north for the breeding season and some will return south as early as July, much sooner than most birds. However, by September most of the birds will head south where they will spend the winter months.
Song And Call
20. Dark-eyed Junco
Scientific Name:Junco hyemalisSize:5.5-6.3 inches
The dark-eyed juncos are little birds that are slated gray in color. They are known as medium size sparrows with long tails, round faces, and white on its belly. They also have bright white markings on its tail.
Dark-eyed junco has a population of over 600 million making it one of the most common birds in the United States and Canada.
The Dark-eyed Junco eats seeds, berries, and insects. They can be found in bushes and trees. Juncos LOVE feeders! They will eat whatever you put out black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanut butter, or generic wild bird food. They are not picky.
When Juncos appear, Winter is near. You can see them in Canada and the western mountains during the spring and summer. These birds flew south to North America for the winter months.
Look for them on deciduous forest floors and on the grass in your backyard. They can be found in bushes and trees all over Ohio during the winter months.
This is another bird that can travel in mixed flocks, so you never know who else will turn up at your feeder alongside the Juncos.
Song and Call
The Dark-eyed Junco has a high-pitched voice which it uses to attract females for breeding.
21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scientific Name:Archilochus colibris Size:3.8 inches
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a small bird that is common in the summer in gardens and woodland edges. The bird has a unique wingbeat that can be heard when it is flying. The bird can be found at nectar feeders and sometimes in towns. They are easy to attract to your backyard with homemade nectar.
Breeding in Ohio in the summer and may stay until December. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is bright green on the back and crown, with a gray-white underside, and males, have an iridescent red throat.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate south over the Gulf of Mexico or through Texas to Central America for winter. Male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can be aggressive in their defense of flowers and feeders, and they may migrate by early August.
Everyone loves to see hummingbirds in their backyards. The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common species in Ohio.
Call
Wingbeat
22. Northern Flicker
Scientific Name:Colaptes auratusSize:11.0-12.2 inches
The Northern Flicker male and female are similar in color. They both have a rounded head, the bill is curved down and the tail tapers to a long point.
Although the same bird their colors differ from the eastern United States (bright yellow wing and tail feathers) and the western US (red wing and tail feathers).
The Northern Flicker is also known as “the woodpecker that doesn’t peck wood.” Instead, it gleans insects from the bark of trees.
Northern Flickers mostly will eat insects that they get from the ground. They will “drum” at the ground as other woodpeckers drum in trees and wood. During the winter months, they will also eat fruits and seeds.
These are beautiful woodpeckers. They may also stop in at your suet and peanut feeders, but most likely you’ll see them nesting in old trees.
You will see Northern Flickers in city parks and backyards in the suburbs. You will also find them in woodlands with open trees, burned forests, swamps, and marshes.
Call
The Northern Flicker has a wide range of calls. It has a typical woodpecker-like “drum” and a more musical, gurgling call that is often mistaken for the song of the Red-winged Blackbird.
Drumming
23. Northern Mockingbird
Scientific Name:Mimus polyglottos Size:10 inches
Mockingbird bodies are grayish brown with white wing bars, (2 on each wing). Their breasts are slightly paler (may look whiteish) than their bodies. Mockingbirds have small heads, long legs, and long thin bills.
Northern Mockingbirds will eat insects during the summertime and will switch to fruit and berries during the fall and winter.
Mockingbirds are very common backyard birds in Ohio. They can be found all over the state. Common places to see them are along your fence, in trees, on scrubs, and on utility lines.
Song And Call
These birds are known for their beautiful songs.
24. Gray Catbird
Scientific Name:Dumetella carolinensisSize:8.3-9.4 inches
In the songbird family, the Gray Catbird is mostly gray but has some cinnamon brown under its tail and some black on its cap and tail.
They mostly eat insects, caterpillars, and moths but will also eat fruit and berries. They can become backyard pests if you grow fruit in your yard.
Gray catbirds don’t like to fly in open areas so you will most likely see them in small vines, bushes, and trees. You will see them in your backyards so look in the branches of your bushes both in summer and winter.
The Gray Catbird migrates south in winter to warmer climates for food. It nests in trees and has a monogamous relationship with one mate for life.
Song And Call
The Gray Catbird songs all day long and will mimic other birds.
25. Tufted Titmouse
Scientific Name:Baeolophus bicolorSize:5.5-6.3 inches
The Tufted Titmouse is a small bird that can be found in the United States and Canada. It has a black crest/crown over its head, and a gray upper body with a white front and tufted gray crest. The Tufted Titmouse bird lives in deciduous forests, river basins, backyards, swamps, and other habitats.
Tufted Titmouse diet consists of insects, seeds, and berries, and will feed on the ground or in trees. They will often be found with Chickadees and love feeders, suet, and shelled peanuts.
The Tufted Titmouse is seen in Ohio year-round. It is found in the eastern and southeastern United States and is expanding its range northward.
Song and Call
26. White-throated Sparrow
Scientific Name:Zonotrichia albicollis Size:6.3-7.1 inches
The White-throated Sparrow is a small songbird that is native to the northern parts of America. The bird has an observation frequency of 15% in Ohio and is seen year-round.
The White-throated Sparrow has a black-and-white striped head, bright white throat, and yellow between the eye and bill. The back of it is brown, and underneath is gray.
The White-throated Sparrow is often found in large flocks on the ground or in trees near the edges of wooded areas. The bird breeds in Canada and migrates to other parts of the world.
Their diet consists of insects, seeds, and berries. will feed from seed on the ground. During the winter they will eat from your bird feeders and like black oil sunflower seeds and millet.
White-throated sparrows are very social birds and can be seen in large flocks during migration. They are migrating birds that breed in Canada, and head south in the fall.
They are migrating birds that breed in Canada and head south in the fall. often found in small groups in brushy areas of parks and fields. When they leave, Spring is on its way.
Song And Call
The song is “Oh Canada, Canada, Canada”.
27. Brown-headed Cowbird
Scientific Name:Molothrus ater Size:7.5 inches
Chunky, dark-eyed blackbird with short tails and thick bills. Adult males are glossy black with iridescent brown heads. Females are brown with light streaks on the belly.
Seeds, grasses, and insects make up most of the Brown-headed Cowbird’s diet. Females add snails and eggs from nests they parasitize; they need the extra calcium because they lay so many of their own eggs in other birds’ nests.
Brown-headed Cowbirds will come to feeders, usually with Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and European Starlings that sometimes overwhelm household feeders.
Brown- Cowbirds can be found pretty much everywhere but in heavy forests. They got their name by foraging among herds of grazing buffalo and cattle.
In Winter, Brown-headed Cowbirds can be found among the large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and European Starlings.
The much smaller Yellow Warbler’s nests are targets for Brown-headed Cowbirds, but the Yellow Warbler has figured out a way to deal with this. Since they are too small to just push the Cowbird egg out of the nest, they build another nest on top of the Cowbird egg, smothering it and allowing their own eggs to hatch without intruders.
Song And Call
28. Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name:Dryocopus pileatusSize:16.5 inches
Large woodpecker almost the size of a crow, all black body with white stripes down a long neck and a bright red crest on top of the head. White under-wing and white wing patches are easily seen in flight.
Pileated Woodpeckers fly in fairly straight lines, unlike other woodpecker species, who fly in undulating lines.
These are noisy, loud woodpeckers. Their drum is slow and powerful, accelerates, and then trails off, not more than two times a minute.
They really like Carpenter Ants, so they’re often found foraging at the bottoms of dead trees or on fallen logs.
Likes mature hardwood forests and open woodlands. Pileated Woodpeckers look for dead trees and logs, which offer food and a nest cavity.
Pileated Woodpecker holes are rectangular rather than round or oval like other woodpeckers, and they are deep enough to break smaller trees in half.
