Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Kentucky

The birds that visit feeders in Kentucky, when they come and what they eat – counted from 4.6 million bird sightings reported across Kentucky from 2019 to 2024.

  • 28year-round residents
  • 8winter visitors
  • 7summer visitors
Northern Cardinal – the most common of the backyard birds in Kentucky
Photo Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Kentucky

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. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

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

    Carolina Chickadee

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Carolina Wren

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  7. 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

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of Kentucky

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

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

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

    White-crowned Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in January

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mike Baird / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

    Occasional visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, tree sap

    Photo: Martin Tremblay / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Purple Finch

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats: seeds

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  7. 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

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

    Fox Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

Apr – Oct

Summer visitors

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

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

    Indigo Bunting

    Everyday visitor · most common in July

    Eats: nyjer, millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  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

    Everyday visitor · most common in August

    Eats: sugar water (1:4)

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Brown Thrasher

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: suet, cracked corn

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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 Kentucky

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    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

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

    Red-headed Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in September

    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 December

    Eats: suet, tree sap

    Photo: Martin Tremblay / iNaturalist, CC BY

Hummingbirds

When hummingbirds arrive and leave Kentucky

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

Identification

Red birds in Kentucky

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 Kentucky

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

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

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Kentucky: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Kentucky?

The northern cardinal. It makes up about 4.4% of all bird sightings reported in Kentucky, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Kentucky in winter?

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

What woodpeckers live in Kentucky?

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

When do hummingbirds leave Kentucky?

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