31 Most Common Backyard Birds in Michigan
Michigan is home to a wide variety of birds, and many of them can be found right in your backyard! In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most common backyard birds in Michigan. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the feathered friends that share our state with us! So let’s get started…
Most common backyard birds in Michigan
1. Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged blackbirds are medium-sized songbirds and are found in Michigan during the summer months, mostly near water and wetland areas. They also are seen in agricultural areas, and suburban parks and gardens.
The males have black bodies with red and yellow stripes on their wings. The females are streaked dark brownish overall, paler on the breast, often showing a whitish eyebrow.
Male red-winged blackbirds are especially known for their loud, beautiful songs.
The red-winged blackbirds are colonial nesters, which build their nests in close proximity to other red-winged blackbirds. often reusing the same nesting site year after year.
2. Eastern Bluebird
Eastern bluebirds are small songbirds of the thrush family, native to North America, and found all year around in Michigan. They have compact bodies, short strong legs and long pointed bills. They prefer areas with trees and shrubs such as open fields, parks, orchards, and cemeteries. They have a wide food spectrum which ranges from insects to fruit, but they prefer to eat insects, berries, and caterpillars.
The males are a vibrant royal blue on the back and head, and warm red brown on the breast. The females have blue tinges on their wings and tail, but the colors are not as vibrant as the males.
Eastern bluebirds are in the almost-threatened category on the IUCN Red List. The population has been declining since the 1970s, primarily due to loss of habitat.
3. Indigo Bunting
The Indigo Bunting is a small songbird that appears plump in flight, with a short tail. They are found in the eastern parts of the United States during summer and are a backyard bird to look out for in Michigan. The males love to sing from treetops, bushes and on telephone lines. They are quite solitary during the breeding season but form large flocks when they migrate further south to their wintering grounds.
The male Indigo Buntings are blue-violet in color with a slightly richer blue on their head. They have a slate-gray bill. The females are brown with faint streaks on the breast and with a whitish throat. Sometimes the females may have a tinge of blue on the wings, tail or rump. Immature males are a mixture of brown and blue.
Indigo Buntings eat insects, seeds, and berries. If you have a bird feeder in your backyard, put out some thistle or nyjer seed for them close to the edges of the garden near some bushes.
4. Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal is a common bird found in Michigan where it can be seen all year around. It is a medium-sized songbird, about the size of a robin and is native to North America.
Northern Cardinals are known for their reddish color and the pointed crest on their head, which they can raise to show aggression. They have a solid red color on their chest and head. The male has a black mask that covers the upper half of his face, while the female has a brown mask.
These birds can migrate long distances to find new food sources.
5. Gray Catbird
Male and female Gray Catbirds cannot be distinguished apart by their looks. They are a plain lead-gray color. The back of the head is a slightly dark shade of gray. With a rust-colour under the tail. The slim bill, the eyes, and the legs and feet are also blackish. Different behaviour in the breeding season is usually the only clue to the difference between males and females.
Gray Catbirds are named for their cat-like call. But because of their well-developed songbird syrinx, they can make two sounds at the same time. A Gray Catbird’s song is easily distinguished from that of the mockingbird because the mockingbird repeats its phrases or “strophes” three to four times, the thrasher usually twice, but the catbird sings most phrases only once. The catbird’s song is usually described as raspier and less musical than that of a mockingbird.
In contrast to the many songbirds that choose a prominent perch from which to sing, the Catbird often elects to sing from inside a bush or small tree, where it is obscured from view by the foliage. Catbirds are found in Michigan during the summer months, migrating to spend winters along the Gulf Coast from Florida through to Texas and down Central America to the Caribbean.
6. Black-capped Chickadee
The Black-capped Chickadee is a common backyard bird found all year around in Michigan. These small birds are found in wooded areas, parks, and gardens. They typically nest in trees, but can also be found nesting in man-made structures such as birdhouses. They are very curious little birds and investigate everything within their territory. They seem to favor birch or alder trees for their nests.
The male and female Black-capped Chickadees look alike. They have short necks and large heads. The tail is long and narrow, and the bill is short. Their cap that extends just beyond the black eyes and bib are black, their cheeks are white and the back is a soft gray. The wing feathers are gray-edged with white, and the underparts are a soft buff on the sides gradually becoming white beneath.
Chickadees are one of the easiest birds to attract to backyard bird feeders. You can attract them using suet, sunflower seeds, or peanuts.
7. American Crow
The American crow is the most common crow found in the United States and can be found all year around.
The American Crow is a large bird. The plumage is black with a glossy sheen. The legs and bill are also black, and they have dark brown eyes. Males and females look alike, although the female is usually slightly smaller than the male. They are social birds and live in large flocks. Their loud vocal cawing is familiar all over North America. Crows do not migrate but may move around in the same general area in search of food or to find a mate. They are highly intelligent birds and their ability to adapt to changing environments has helped them thrive in urban areas. They are also not shy and will often approach people for food.
The American Crow is a scavenger and will eat about anything. Fruits, vegetables, insects, small mammals, carrion, garbage. If something is edible and it is available, then the crow will eat it.
8. Mourning Dove
Mourning Doves are found in open woodlands, fields, and backyard habitats of Michigan during the summer months.
Mourning doves are often seen perching on telephone wires. They are very sensitive to habitat changes and can be found in rural and suburban areas throughout the year and are common backyard birds.
Graceful and slender-tailed, with a small head, mourning doves are light gray and brown and generally muted in color. Males and females look similar. They are monogamous as a species. Their soft, drawn-out calls sound like a lament, hence the name “Mourning Dove”.
The mourning dove is a seed-eating bird, but it will also eat small fruits and insects. While mourning doves will visit backyard bird feeders instead of eating birdseed, prefer sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and cracked corn.
9. House Finch
House finches are small songbirds. House finches are not migratory birds in Michigan, but they may move around to find food or mates.
The males have red heads, brown wings, and a streaked back. The females are brown-streaked. They have a black bill and are about the size of a sparrow.
They eat grass seeds but also eat buds and parts of flowers, berries, small fruits, and insects such as aphids.
10. Northern Flicker
Northern flickers are medium-sized woodpeckers and are the only member of their family to commonly perch on trees rather than clinging to them. Northern Flickers are not migratory birds in Michigan and can be found all year around, but they may move around to find food or mates.
They can be identified by their characteristic red breast and black belly band. The males have a red mustache mark which distinguishes them from the females. Both sexes have a brown back with black bars. Their wings show yellow underparts when they fly.
Flickers are ground-feeding woodpeckers and eat ants and beetles, which they find by probing beneath the ground with their long tongues. Most woodpeckers have tongues that are adapted to spear and extract insects from wood, but the flicker’s tongue is a bit different and helps it lap up large numbers of ants. In winter, they also eat fruits and nuts. Suet feeders and platform feeders with whole nuts on it can attract Northern Flickers to your garden.
11. American Goldfinch
Although American Goldfinches are found in Michigan throughout the year.
American Goldfinches are small songbirds with yellow plumage and black wings. They have a black bill and are about the size of a sparrow and are known for their cheerful song.
American Goldfinches are popular birds with the males’ bright yellow and black coloring in spring. The females are duller brown, as are males in winter.
They can be found in fields and overgrown areas. They forage for sunflower, thistle, and aster plants. They are also common in suburbs, parks, and backyards.
12. Common Grackle
The Common Grackle is a medium-sized bird, about the size of a Blue Jay. They tend to flock together and tend to be rather loud and aggressive, scaring away the smaller songbirds. They can become a nuisance at backyard feeding stations as they tend to eat almost anything. They are also quite resourceful in finding food. They can be found in Michigan during the summer months.
They are lanky, large blackbirds that have a long tail and long bill that curves slightly downward. Loud birds, that gather in big flocks high in trees.
Male Common Grackles are black all over but show off an iridescent blue head and bronze body depending on the light. The females look similar but are slightly less glossy than the males.
The favored foods of Common Grackles are grains like corn and rice. They are a common sight in farm fields that grow these crops and gather together in enormous flocks to feast on these grains. Being the true scavengers that they are, they also eat a wide variety of seeds, fruits, insects and spiders, frogs, even fish and mice, other birds, and as well as garbage!
13. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated hummingbirds can be found in Michigan during the summer. One of their main food sources is the nectar from flowers.
They are the only hummingbird species with a red patch on their throat; males have a red throat, whereas females have a black throat. Their tail feathers are green with white stripes.
They are one of the most migratory birds in North America, migrating to the southern United States and Mexico.
14. Blue Jay
The Blue Jay is a medium-sized bird and is a member of the crow family. It is native to North America and is common across the continent. They are found all year round in Michigan. The species has adapted well to human developments, often nesting in and around residential areas.
Blue Jays have a long, pointed tail and a crest. The head, wings and back are blue while the chest is white. Both genders have similar features, but the female is slightly smaller in size than the male.
Blue jays are known to be egg thieves, sometimes directly taking eggs from nests and other times following the special sounds made by parent birds,
15. Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco’s are found in Michigan during the winter. They are a medium-sized sparrow with a rounded head, short bill, and long tail. The upper parts are grayish brown, and the underparts are whitish with dark streaks on the sides. The female is usually duller than the male. Both sexes have pinkish brown legs and feet.
The diet consists mostly of insects and seeds. In winter, when insects are scarce, they will eat more berries and fruits. They often form flocks outside of breeding season.
16. Eastern Kingbird
The Eastern Kingbird is a medium-sized songbird that is found in Michigan during the summer and migrate to the forests of South America in winter.
Males and females look similar with a large head and an upright posture. The tail is square at the tip. These striking birds are blackish on the upper parts and white on the lower parts. The head is a darker and the tail has a white tip.
Eastern Kingbirds often perch on trees, fences or telephone lines.
They are from the flycatcher family and are often seen flying off perches to snatch up flying insects. They are especially found in open places, near water or along forest edges.
17. White-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatches are common visitors to backyard bird feeders in Michigan where they are found all year round. The name “nuthatch” is believed to have been derived from the old English word “nut-hack”. It describes how the birds wedge their food, whether it be nuts, seeds or insects, into crevices on the bark of trees. They then hack at the food to tear it apart with their beaks.
Both sexes look the same, except that males have a black cap on the top of their heads, whereas the females display more of a gray crown. White-breasted Nuthatches are gray-blue on the back, with a white face and underparts. The black or gray cap and neck frame the “face” which makes it appear as if the bird is wearing a hood. The lower belly and under the tail are often chestnut in color.
They are often found flocking with other small birds such as Golden-crowned Kinglets and Carolina Wrens. They clamber up and down tree trunks when foraging by going head-first and also sidling along larger branches, constantly probing in the gaps and holes in bark for food.
18. Baltimore Oriole
The whistling songs of Baltimore Oriole’s can be heard in Michigan during the summer months. These birds spend most of their time at the tops of deciduous trees, fluttering around, building beautiful woven nests, and looking for food. They are most often found in open woodlands, riverbanks, and on the edges of swamps and forests
Males are a combination of orange and black with white wing bars with a black hood and back. Females have slightly duller colors than the males without a black hood and back.
Baltimore Orioles were named because of their bold orange-and-black plumage, which were the same colors as the heraldic crest of England’s Baltimore family (who also gave their name to Maryland’s largest city).
Baltimore Orioles sometimes use their slender beaks to feed in an unusual way, called “gaping”. They stab the closed bill into soft fruits, then open their mouths to cut a juicy swath from which they drink with their brushy-tipped tongues.
19. American Robin
The American Robin is a backyard bird found in almost every part of North America and is the state bird of Michigan. In Michigan, they are more commonly found in summer. They are one of the first birds to sing in the morning. American Robins migrate south to Mexico and Central America in the fall.
Male and female American Robins look different from each other. Male robins have orange breasts, while female robins have grayish-brown breasts. Male robins also tend to be larger than females.
American Robins are often found in woodlands near water where they can find insects. They also eat fruits and berries.
20. Chipping Sparrow
The chipping sparrow is a small, ground-dwelling bird. They are common and widespread throughout most of North America. They are found in Michigan during the summer months and commonly occur in open woodlands, scrubby areas, or even in suburban settings. They often gather in flocks in fall and winter. They are frequently heard singing a fairly dry trill.
The Chipping Sparrow is small and slender, with a grayish breast, rusty cap, and black eyeline in the breeding season. The coloring is not as bright in winter, but it still shows a brown cap and dark eyeline. Juveniles are extensively streaky. The male and female are similar in appearance, but the male is slightly more colorful.
21. House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is one of the most common backyard birds in Michigan. They prefer to nest near humans and can be found in urban and rural areas. They build their nests in a variety of places, including trees, shrubs, and man-made structures. The House Sparrow originated in Europe. It was introduced to North America in the 1850s and is now one of the most common birds.
It is a small bird with a stout bill and streaked upper parts. The male has a gray head and chest with black streaks on the throat, while the female is brownish overall. It is not a singing sparrow, but chirps when issuing a warning.
The House Sparrow feeds on a variety of foods, including seeds, insects, and garbage. In backyard bird feeders, it will eat about anything, from sunflower seeds to suet.
22. Song Sparrow
The Song Sparrow is another backyard bird commonly found in Michigan during the summer months. As their name suggests, these sparrows are known for their beautiful song, which they use to attract mates and warn off predators. They typically nest in trees and bushes but prefer open areas with some bushes or trees nearby. This provides them with places to hide from predators and build their nests.
The Song Sparrow is a medium-sized bird with streaked brown upper parts and whitish underparts. The male has a gray breast and a head, while the female has duller colors. Both sexes have a reddish-brown mark on their throats called a “throat patch.” This patch is larger in males and is used to attract mates. Male Song Sparrows also have a dark brown streak on their heads that is not present in females. This streak is used to intimidate other males during the breeding season. Male Song Sparrows also tend to be larger than females.
The two sexes sing different songs, with male songs being longer and more complex. Male song sparrows also sing more often than females, which is how they attract mates. Females usually only sing when they are defending their territory or attracting a mate.
The diet of the Song Sparrow consists of insects, spiders, and seeds.
23. White-throated Sparrow
This little songbird bird is commonly found in Michigan during migration season. They are often found in flocks.
The body of the White-throated Sparrow is brown on the upper parts and gray beneath. It has a black-and-white-striped or tan-and-buff-striped head pattern with a white throat and a tuft of yellow on either side of the head between the eyes the bill is augmented by a bright white throat and yellow between the eye and the bill, which is gray.
White-throated Sparrows mainly stay on or near the ground, in low bushes scratching through leaves to search for food. You may see them low in bushes as well, particularly in spring when they eat fresh buds.
White-throated Sparrows are popular visitors to the backyard and feed on millet and sunflower seeds.
24. European Starling
European Starlings are found in Michigan year-round. In the summer they can be found in open areas including parks, farmland, and suburban neighborhoods. In the winter they congregate in large flocks in open areas near food sources such as grain fields, dumps, and backyard bird feeders.
European starlings are also known for their mimicry and can imitate the sounds of other birds and animals.
They are small birds with black feathers, a short tail, and pointed wings. Their beaks are yellow with a black tip, and their eyes are dark brown. At a distance, starlings appear black. In summer, they turn an iridescent purplish green with yellow beaks; in winter, their plumage is brown, covered in brilliant white spots.
In flight their wings are short and pointed, giving them a star-like appearance, hence the name “starling”.
These birds eat insects, berries, and fruits. You may see them eating bugs in your garden or picking berries from bushes.
25. Barn Swallow
The Barn Swallow is the most widespread swallow in the world and can be found on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, they are found in all of the United States and Canada.
Barn Swallows are small birds that migrate to warmer climates in summer and are a common sight in Washington during this season.
The male and female Barn Swallows look similar. They have a deep-blue back, wings and tail, and are reddish-brown underneath and across the face. Their tail has long outer feathers that give a deep fork.
Barn swallows feed on a wide variety of flying insects, especially flies (including house flies and horse flies), beetles, wasps, wild bees, winged ants, and true bugs. They also eat certain moths, damselflies, grasshoppers, and other insects, and a few spiders and snails.
26. Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmice live in deciduous or mixed evergreen-deciduous woods, i.e. they typically live in areas with a dense canopy and many tree species. They are also common in orchards, parks, and suburban areas. Generally found all year-round in Michigan.
They are very assertive over smaller birds, pushing in to get to the food first. They mostly eat insects such as caterpillars, beetles, ants, and wasps, as well as spiders and snails in summer. They will also eat seeds, nuts, and berries and will hoard shelled seeds.
Tufted Titmouse is gray on the back and white underneath with a gray crest and large eyes. They often flock with chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers.
27. Yellow-rumped Warbler
The Yellow-rumped warbler is seen in Michigan during migration.
Males are gray with flashes of yellow on the face, sides, and rump, and have white in the wings. Females may be slightly brown, and winter birds are paler brown with bright yellow rumps and sides turning bright yellow and gray again in spring.
The Yellow-rumped Warbler eats insects, spiders, and berries. In the winter, this bird eats mainly fruit. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of the few backyard birds that can eat wax myrtle berries. This bird is also known to eat poison ivy berries.
28. Cedar Waxwing
The Cedar Waxwing is another common backyard bird in Michigan during the summer months. These birds are found in forests, woodlands, and backyard habitats. They are social birds and often travel in flocks. They migrate as far south as Panama in winter. Cedar Waxwings are usually found in flocks around fruiting trees.
The males and females look similar with a sleek crest, a black mask, pale yellow on the underparts, and a yellow-tipped tail.
Cedar Waxwings mostly eat berries and insects. To attract them to your garden, you can provide them with cut fruit on the bird feeders.
29. Downy Woodpecker
The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America and can be found all across the continental United States, including Michigan. They do not migrate. These backyard birds are easily identified by their small size, black and white plumage, and the male bird’s red patch on the back of its head. Downy Woodpeckers do not migrate. They are small birds that are common at backyard feeders and are often found feeding alongside other birds, such as chickadees and nuthatches.
They have black and white coloring with a red patch at the back of their heads. They look similar to the Hairy Woodpecker but are smaller.
Downy Woodpeckers feed on insects such as beetles and ants, caterpillars, and others. They also eat seeds and berries. To attract them to your backyard, you can provide them with suet at bird feeders.
30. Red-bellied Woodpecker
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a small round-headed woodpecker, found in Michigan all year round.
The male’s forehead, crown and hindneck are red. The female’s crown is gray. They have black and white barred wings. The back, head and underside are creamy white to pale gray with a pale red patch on the belly. The male and female stay together only long enough to share in the excavation of a nesting cavity in a dead tree and care for the young, for up to 10 weeks after they fledge.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker prefers mature forest habitats and feeds on acorns, seeds, fruit and insects.
31. Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroats are small songbirds that can be found in Michigan during the summer months.
Male birds have bright yellow underparts and olive upper parts. They have a black face mask with a thin white line that distinguishes the head from the neck. The females are a plain olive-brown in color, usually with yellow on the throat and under the tail. The females do not have black masks. Their tails are slightly rounded.
Common Yellow-throats join other warbler species at times in mixed flocks. They prefer to live in open areas with thick, low vegetation. They mostly eat insects but also include some seeds in their diet.
Happy birdwatching!
FAQ
What can I do to encourage wild birds in my yard?
In order to encourage wild birds in your backyard, you must provide a source of water and food. This can be done with bird baths and bird feeders. For a more natural experience, try adding some flowers or plants around your yard to attract different species of birds.
How do I identify the birds around my backyard in Michigan?
The best way to identify the birds in your backyard is by looking at their feathers. Their beaks tell you what they like to eat. Their feet tell you if they perch, hop or wade. You can also buy a bird guide to help you identify birds in the USA.
Are woodpeckers endangered?
Woodpeckers are classified as being at-risk. The number of red, black, and white woodpeckers have been declining over the last seventy years. The main reason for this decrease is the loss of nesting sites due to deforestation, development and expanding agriculture.
Why might there be lots of small birds flying and diving?
It is possible that the birds are looking for food such as flying insects or there could be a predator nearby. Without further observations it is impossible to know what is driving their behavior.
What kind of blackbirds seem to congregate on power lines?
Blackbirds are a common sight at power lines, but why? Scientists believe that the blackbirds congregate at these power lines because this is an excellent place to find food. The electricity can kill bugs, which the blackbirds can easily feed on.
What does “passerine” mean?
Passerines are a group of birds that include more than half of all the bird species like songbirds. They prey primarily on insects and also known as perching birds.