Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Minnesota

The birds that visit feeders in Minnesota, when they come and what they eat – counted from 13.6 million bird sightings reported across Minnesota from 2019 to 2024.

  • 21year-round residents
  • 11winter visitors
  • 14summer visitors
Black-capped Chickadee – the most common of the backyard birds in Minnesota
Photo Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Minnesota

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

  1. Black-capped Chickadee, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Black-capped Chickadee

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Blue Jay

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: peanuts, sunflower, corn

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  4. 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

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

    American Robin

    Everyday visitor · most common in April

    Eats: fruit, mealworms

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Northern Cardinal

    Everyday visitor · most common in March

    Eats: black oil sunflower, safflower

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

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  9. 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

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

    House Sparrow

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, cracked corn

    Photo: Esteban Poveda / iNaturalist, CC BY

  11. House Finch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    House Finch

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: black oil sunflower, nyjer

    Photo: MostlyDross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Mourning Dove

    Regular visitor · most common in July

    Eats: millet, cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of Minnesota

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 November

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Becky Matsubara / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    American Tree Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in November

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mary Krieger / iNaturalist, CC BY

  3. Redpoll, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Redpoll

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: nyjer

    Photo: egorbirder / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Pine Siskin

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: fishhawk / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. Pine Grosbeak, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Pine Grosbeak

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: black oil sunflower

    Photo: Richard Littauer / iNaturalist, CC BY

  6. Canada Jay, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Canada Jay

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, peanuts, seeds

    Photo: Owen Strickland / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Fox Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in October

    Eats: millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. Evening Grosbeak, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Evening Grosbeak

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sunflower seeds

    Photo: Nigel Voaden / iNaturalist, CC BY

Mar – Oct

Summer visitors

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

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

    Red-winged Blackbird

    Everyday visitor · most common in April

    Eats: sunflower, cracked corn

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Song Sparrow

    Everyday visitor · most common in July

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  3. Common Grackle, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Common Grackle

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Shaun Coleman / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Gray Catbird

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: fruit, jelly, mealworms

    Photo: kirk gardner / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Chipping Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in July

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  6. 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

  7. Brown-headed Cowbird, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Brown-headed Cowbird

    Regular visitor · most common in May

    Eats: millet, cracked corn

    Photo: cello caruso-turiello / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. 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

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in Minnesota

6 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Minnesota. Downy Woodpecker and Hairy 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 Woodpecker3.4%
  2. Hairy Woodpecker2.3%
  3. Red-bellied Woodpecker2.1%
  4. Pileated Woodpecker1.0%
  5. Northern Flicker0.9%
  6. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker0.2%
  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. Hairy Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  3. 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

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

    Northern Flicker

    Regular visitor · most common in September

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

    Occasional visitor · most common in April

    Eats: suet, tree sap

    Photo: Martin Tremblay / iNaturalist, CC BY

Hummingbirds

When hummingbirds arrive and leave Minnesota

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the main hummingbird in Minnesota. Sightings start in May, peak in August and fade out in September.

Put a nectar feeder out by mid-May 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 Minnesota, darkest in the peak month.

Identification

Red birds in Minnesota

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.
Pine Grosbeak – a large, plump finch of the North; males are rosy red with grey flanks.

Bird calendar

The year at the feeder in Minnesota

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue Jay
Downy Woodpecker
White-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Hairy Woodpecker
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-winged Blackbird
House Sparrow
House Finch
Song Sparrow
Mourning Dove
European Starling
Rock Pigeon
Red-breasted Nuthatch

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Minnesota: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Minnesota?

The black-capped chickadee. It makes up about 5.3% of all bird sightings reported in Minnesota, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Minnesota in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the black-capped chickadee, blue jay, downy woodpecker, winter brings dark-eyed junco, American tree sparrow, redpoll.

What woodpeckers live in Minnesota?

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

When do hummingbirds leave Minnesota?

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

More states

Backyard birds in other states