Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Delaware

The birds that visit feeders in Delaware, when they come and what they eat – counted from 4.1 million bird sightings reported across Delaware from 2019 to 2024.

  • 30year-round residents
  • 8winter visitors
  • 5summer visitors
Northern Cardinal – the most common of the backyard birds in Delaware
Photo Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Delaware

These birds are reported in every season. Most of them will use a seed or suet feeder in any month.

  1. Northern Cardinal, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Northern Cardinal

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: black oil sunflower, safflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  2. Carolina Wren, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Carolina Wren

    Everyday visitor · most common in September

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  3. Mourning Dove, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Mourning Dove

    Everyday visitor · most common in March

    Eats: millet, cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

  4. Red-winged Blackbird, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Red-winged Blackbird

    Everyday visitor · most common in March

    Eats: sunflower, cracked corn

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. American Robin, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    American Robin

    Everyday visitor · most common in March

    Eats: fruit, mealworms

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

  6. Carolina Chickadee, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Carolina Chickadee

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  7. Song Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Song Sparrow

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  8. Blue Jay, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Blue Jay

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: peanuts, sunflower, corn

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

  9. American Goldfinch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    American Goldfinch

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: lwolfartist / iNaturalist, CC BY

  10. Red-bellied Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  11. European Starling, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    European Starling

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

  12. Tufted Titmouse, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Tufted Titmouse

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: sunflower, peanuts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of Delaware

They arrive from the north in autumn and leave again in spring. Millet and sunflower hearts on a tray or on the ground bring most of them in.

  1. White-throated Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    White-throated Sparrow

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

  2. Dark-eyed Junco, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Dark-eyed Junco

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Becky Matsubara / iNaturalist, CC BY

  3. Yellow-rumped Warbler, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Yellow-rumped Warbler

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: Willem Span / iNaturalist, CC BY

  4. Red-breasted Nuthatch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Red-breasted Nuthatch

    Occasional visitor · most common in October

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

    Occasional visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, tree sap

    Photo: Martin Tremblay / iNaturalist, CC BY

  6. Fox Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Fox Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. Pine Siskin, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Pine Siskin

    Occasional visitor · most common in November

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: fishhawk / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. Purple Finch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Purple Finch

    Occasional visitor · most common in November

    Eats: seeds

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

Apr – Oct

Summer visitors

These birds spend spring and summer in Delaware and winter further south.

  1. Gray Catbird, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Gray Catbird

    Regular visitor · most common in September

    Eats: fruit, jelly, mealworms

    Photo: kirk gardner / iNaturalist, CC BY

  2. Chipping Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Chipping Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  3. Indigo Bunting, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Indigo Bunting

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: nyjer, millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  4. Ruby-throated Hummingbird, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Ruby-throated Hummingbird

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: sugar water (1:4)

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  5. Baltimore Oriole, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Baltimore Oriole

    Occasional visitor · most common in May

    Eats: oranges, grape jelly, sugar water

    Photo: Dmitry Mozzherin / iNaturalist, CC BY

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in Delaware

6 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Delaware. Red-bellied Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker are the ones most often seen. All of them come for suet – a suet cage with a tail-prop panel also works for the larger species.

Which suet to use and when →

  1. Red-bellied Woodpecker1.6%
  2. Downy Woodpecker1.4%
  3. Northern Flicker1.2%
  4. Pileated Woodpecker0.5%
  5. Hairy Woodpecker0.4%
  6. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker0.2%
  1. Red-bellied Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  2. Downy Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Downy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  3. Northern Flicker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Northern Flicker

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  4. Pileated Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Pileated Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in September

    Eats: suet

    Photo: tsaiproject / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. Hairy Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  6. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

    Occasional visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, tree sap

    Photo: Martin Tremblay / iNaturalist, CC BY

Hummingbirds

When hummingbirds arrive and leave Delaware

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the main hummingbird in Delaware. Sightings start in April, peak in August and fade out in October.

Put a nectar feeder out by mid-April so the first arrivals find it, and keep it up until two weeks after you see the last bird – late migrants from further north still pass through.

Nectar: one part white sugar to four parts water, no red dye. Hummingbird feeders compared →

Ruby-throated Hummingbird sightings per month in Delaware, darkest in the peak month.

Identification

Red birds in Delaware

Northern Cardinal – the male is red all over with a black face; the female is tan with red on wings, tail and crest.
House Finch – males have a red head, breast and rump over brown streaks; common at seed feeders all year.
Purple Finch – males look dipped in raspberry juice, with less streaking on the flanks than a house finch.
Red-bellied Woodpecker – despite the name, the red is on the back of the head; the belly shows only a faint blush.

Bird calendar

The year at the feeder in Delaware

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Wren
Mourning Dove
Red-winged Blackbird
American Robin
Carolina Chickadee
Song Sparrow
Blue Jay
American Goldfinch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
European Starling
Tufted Titmouse
White-throated Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
House Finch
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Flicker
Common Grackle

Want the list for your own garden? Enter your ZIP code – the birds within 30 km, month by month.

Questions

Backyard birds in Delaware: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Delaware?

The northern cardinal. It makes up about 2.7% of all bird sightings reported in Delaware, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Delaware in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the northern cardinal, Carolina wren, mourning dove, winter brings white-throated sparrow, dark-eyed junco, yellow-rumped warbler.

What woodpeckers live in Delaware?

6 species are reported regularly: red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker.

When do hummingbirds leave Delaware?

Ruby-throated Hummingbird sightings fade out in October. They arrive in April. Keep your feeder up for about two weeks after the last visit.

More states

Backyard birds in other states