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Common backyard birds in Georgia (lists, photos, ID)
I've put this resource together for you to answer the question: What birds are in my backyard in Georgia? This article tells you what Georgia birds you can expect in your backyard and when they are most common. I also provide a photo and description section to help you with Georgia bird identification of the most common birds native to Georgia backyards.
The most common birds throughout the year in the state of Georgia are these:
In this article
Lists of the most common backyard birds in Georgia
Photos and ID of the most common backyard birds in Georgia
Other birds you might see from your backyard in Georgia
Comparison of the most common backyard birds in Atlanta, Georgia
Beyond your backyard
This page lists the most common backyard birds as determined by actual bird sightings reported to the citizen science birding program, eBird. These birds are ranked according to frequency--the percentage of all bird checklists on which a species occurs. Below I list common backyard birds in winter and summer.
Photos and identification are next. I tell a little bit about each species and how you might attract them to your yard.
Farther below I've also added a list of other common birds not typically found in backyards.
I conclude with a list comparing the birds of Atlanta, Georgia with the birds of the state as a whole.
The most common backyard birds in Georgia in winter (December to February) are these:
1. Northern Cardinal (57% frequency)
2. Carolina Chickadee (49%)
3. Carolina Wren (46%)
4. Tufted Titmouse (45%)
5. Mourning Dove (41%)
6. Red-bellied Woodpecker (40%)
7. American Crow (37%)
8. Blue Jay (34%)
9. Northern Mockingbird (33%)
10. Downy Woodpecker (33%)
11. Yellow-rumped Warbler (32%)
12. American Robin (32%)
13. Eastern Bluebird (31%)
14. American Goldfinch (30%)
15. Eastern Towhee (30%)
16. House Finch (28%)
17. Pine Warbler (26%)
18. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (25%)
19. Song Sparrow (25%)
20. Chipping Sparrow (24%)
21. Eastern Phoebe (24%)
22. Brown-headed Nuthatch (24%)
23. White-throated Sparrow (23%)
23. White-breasted Nuthatch (23%)
The most common backyard birds in Georgia in summer (June to July) are these:
1. Northern Cardinal (64% frequency)
2. Carolina Wren (52%)
3. Mourning Dove (50%)
4. Tufted Titmouse (41%)
5. Northern Mockingbird (41%)
6. Blue Jay (40%)
7. Eastern Towhee (40%)
8. Carolina Chickadee (38%)
9. American Crow (38%)
10. Red-bellied Woodpecker (35%)
11. Eastern Bluebird (30%)
12. House Finch (28%)
13. American Robin (26%)
14. Downy Woodpecker (25%)
15. Brown Thrasher (24%)
16. American Goldfinch (23%)
17. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (23%)
18. Chipping Sparrow (22%)
19. Indigo Bunting (22%)
How do birds differ in summer and winter compared to the year as a whole? Really, there is not much difference in the common birds in Georgia between summer and winter. The Carolina Chickadee is detected a bit more frequently in winter. Brown Thrasher is more common in summer. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Indigo Buntings are summer birds.
Identification: Size: Cardinals are a bit smaller than American Robins, about the same size as Red-winged Blackbirds. Shape: Plump body with fairly long full tail. Wispy crest. Bill: Short, heavy, conical, pink. Color: That bright red color is matched by few other birds. Black face. The female is more gray, but with hints of red in wings and tail, and has a crest, too.
Habitat, range & behavior: Cardinals are year-round residents in shrubby woodland edges from the eastern United States to Texas and Arizona south into Mexico. That large conical bill is made for chewing seeds. Watch them crack open sunflower seeds, spit out the hulls, and pluck the kernel with their tongues!
Food and feeder preference: Black oil sunflower seeds. Many types of seeds, berries, nuts in larger hopper or tray feeders.
You may like my in-depth article on attracting Northern Cardinals.
Identification: Size: A smaller bird, between the size of American Goldfinch and House Finch. Shape: Round body, short neck, flat head, long tail flipped about actively. Bill: Fairly long, thin, pointed and slightly curved. Color: Upper parts rusty brown with black bars on the wings and tail. A white eyebrow line and buff under parts.
Habitat, range & behavior: Shrubby thickets and brushy suburban yards. It is found in the southeastern United States and Yucatan. Northern parts of range expand and contract depending upon harshness of winters. Males sing throughout the year and are very loud for their size.
Food and feeder preference: Feed mostly on insects and spiders. They will feed on suet.
The most common birds throughout the year in the state of Georgia are these:
- Northern Cardinal (62% frequency)
- Carolina Wren (51%)
- Carolina Chickadee (47%)
- Tufted Titmouse (46%)
- Mourning Dove (45%)
- Blue Jay (42%)
- Red-bellied Woodpecker (41%)
- American Crow (40%)
- Northern Mockingbird (38%)
- Eastern Towhee (35%)
- Downy Woodpecker (32%)
- Eastern Bluebird (31%)
- American Robin (29%)
- House Finch (28%)
- American Goldfinch (27%)
- Eastern Phoebe (25%)
- Chipping Sparrow (23%)
- Brown Thrasher (23%)
- Brown-headed Nuthatch (23%)
- Pine Warbler (22%)
- Yellow-rumped Warbler (21%)
- White-breasted Nuthatch (21%)
In this article
Lists of the most common backyard birds in Georgia
Photos and ID of the most common backyard birds in Georgia
Other birds you might see from your backyard in Georgia
Comparison of the most common backyard birds in Atlanta, Georgia
Beyond your backyard
This page lists the most common backyard birds as determined by actual bird sightings reported to the citizen science birding program, eBird. These birds are ranked according to frequency--the percentage of all bird checklists on which a species occurs. Below I list common backyard birds in winter and summer.
Photos and identification are next. I tell a little bit about each species and how you might attract them to your yard.
Farther below I've also added a list of other common birds not typically found in backyards.
I conclude with a list comparing the birds of Atlanta, Georgia with the birds of the state as a whole.
Lists of the most common feeder birds and backyard birds in Georgia
The top list on this page is the frequency of birds throughout the year. Many birds are migratory or otherwise vary in number between seasons. So the next two lists are the common birds ranked in winter and then in summer.
The most common backyard birds in Georgia in winter (December to February) are these:
1. Northern Cardinal (57% frequency)
2. Carolina Chickadee (49%)
3. Carolina Wren (46%)
4. Tufted Titmouse (45%)
5. Mourning Dove (41%)
6. Red-bellied Woodpecker (40%)
7. American Crow (37%)
8. Blue Jay (34%)
9. Northern Mockingbird (33%)
10. Downy Woodpecker (33%)
11. Yellow-rumped Warbler (32%)
12. American Robin (32%)
13. Eastern Bluebird (31%)
14. American Goldfinch (30%)
15. Eastern Towhee (30%)
16. House Finch (28%)
17. Pine Warbler (26%)
18. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (25%)
19. Song Sparrow (25%)
20. Chipping Sparrow (24%)
21. Eastern Phoebe (24%)
22. Brown-headed Nuthatch (24%)
23. White-throated Sparrow (23%)
23. White-breasted Nuthatch (23%)
The most common backyard birds in Georgia in summer (June to July) are these:
1. Northern Cardinal (64% frequency)
2. Carolina Wren (52%)
3. Mourning Dove (50%)
4. Tufted Titmouse (41%)
5. Northern Mockingbird (41%)
6. Blue Jay (40%)
7. Eastern Towhee (40%)
8. Carolina Chickadee (38%)
9. American Crow (38%)
11. Eastern Bluebird (30%)
12. House Finch (28%)
13. American Robin (26%)
14. Downy Woodpecker (25%)
15. Brown Thrasher (24%)
16. American Goldfinch (23%)
17. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (23%)
18. Chipping Sparrow (22%)
19. Indigo Bunting (22%)
How do birds differ in summer and winter compared to the year as a whole? Really, there is not much difference in the common birds in Georgia between summer and winter. The Carolina Chickadee is detected a bit more frequently in winter. Brown Thrasher is more common in summer. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Indigo Buntings are summer birds.
Photos and ID of the most common backyard birds in Georgia
 |
Northern Cardinal Image by GeorgeB2 from Pixaby |
1. Northern Cardinal (62% frequency)
This is one of the most common and popular backyard birds in the eastern half of the United States.Identification: Size: Cardinals are a bit smaller than American Robins, about the same size as Red-winged Blackbirds. Shape: Plump body with fairly long full tail. Wispy crest. Bill: Short, heavy, conical, pink. Color: That bright red color is matched by few other birds. Black face. The female is more gray, but with hints of red in wings and tail, and has a crest, too.
Habitat, range & behavior: Cardinals are year-round residents in shrubby woodland edges from the eastern United States to Texas and Arizona south into Mexico. That large conical bill is made for chewing seeds. Watch them crack open sunflower seeds, spit out the hulls, and pluck the kernel with their tongues!
Food and feeder preference: Black oil sunflower seeds. Many types of seeds, berries, nuts in larger hopper or tray feeders.
You may like my in-depth article on attracting Northern Cardinals.
 |
Carolina Wren Image by theSOARnet from Pixabay |
2. Carolina Wren (51%)
This is a fairly common backyard bird in the much of the eastern United States.Identification: Size: A smaller bird, between the size of American Goldfinch and House Finch. Shape: Round body, short neck, flat head, long tail flipped about actively. Bill: Fairly long, thin, pointed and slightly curved. Color: Upper parts rusty brown with black bars on the wings and tail. A white eyebrow line and buff under parts.
Habitat, range & behavior: Shrubby thickets and brushy suburban yards. It is found in the southeastern United States and Yucatan. Northern parts of range expand and contract depending upon harshness of winters. Males sing throughout the year and are very loud for their size.
Food and feeder preference: Feed mostly on insects and spiders. They will feed on suet.
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