Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Indiana

The birds that visit feeders in Indiana, when they come and what they eat – counted from 10.4 million bird sightings reported across Indiana from 2019 to 2024.

  • 27year-round residents
  • 9winter visitors
  • 8summer visitors
Northern Cardinal – the most common of the backyard birds in Indiana
Photo Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Indiana

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. 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

  3. 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

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Mourning Dove

    Everyday visitor · most common in August

    Eats: millet, cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    American Goldfinch

    Everyday visitor · most common in August

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: lwolfartist / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. White-breasted Nuthatch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    White-breasted Nuthatch

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: sunflower, suet, peanuts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Tufted Titmouse

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sunflower, peanuts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Song Sparrow

    Everyday visitor · most common in March

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Carolina Chickadee

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    European Starling

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of Indiana

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

    Dark-eyed Junco

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Becky Matsubara / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    White-throated Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in November

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / 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. American Tree Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    American Tree Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in January

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mary Krieger / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. White-crowned Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    White-crowned Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in October

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mike Baird / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Red-breasted Nuthatch

    Occasional visitor · most common in January

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Fox Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in November

    Eats: millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. 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

Apr – Sep

Summer visitors

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

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

    Gray Catbird

    Regular visitor · most common in July

    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. 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

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

    Indigo Bunting

    Regular visitor · most common in July

    Eats: nyjer, millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  5. Cedar Waxwing, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Cedar Waxwing

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: berries, dried fruit

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Baltimore Oriole

    Regular visitor · most common in May

    Eats: oranges, grape jelly, sugar water

    Photo: Dmitry Mozzherin / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. Brown Thrasher, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Brown Thrasher

    Occasional visitor · most common in April

    Eats: suet, cracked corn

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  8. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Rose-breasted Grosbeak

    Occasional visitor · most common in May

    Eats: black oil sunflower, safflower, fruit

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in Indiana

7 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Indiana. Downy Woodpecker and Red-bellied 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. Downy Woodpecker2.8%
  2. Red-bellied Woodpecker2.7%
  3. Northern Flicker1.4%
  4. Pileated Woodpecker0.9%
  5. Hairy Woodpecker0.9%
  6. Red-headed Woodpecker0.6%
  7. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker0.1%
  1. Downy Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  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

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet

    Photo: tsaiproject / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  6. Red-headed Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Red-headed Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in August

    Eats: suet, sunflower, peanuts

    Photo: Matthew Gerke / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. 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 Indiana

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the main hummingbird in Indiana. 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 Indiana, darkest in the peak month.

Identification

Red birds in Indiana

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.
Red-headed Woodpecker – the whole head is deep red, the body black and white.

Bird calendar

The year at the feeder in Indiana

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Northern Cardinal
Blue Jay
American Robin
Downy Woodpecker
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Goldfinch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Tufted Titmouse
Song Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
European Starling
House Sparrow
House Finch
Red-winged Blackbird
Carolina Wren
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Flicker

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Indiana: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Indiana?

The northern cardinal. It makes up about 4.0% of all bird sightings reported in Indiana, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Indiana in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the northern cardinal, blue jay, American robin, winter brings dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler.

What woodpeckers live in Indiana?

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

When do hummingbirds leave Indiana?

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