Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Nebraska

The birds that visit feeders in Nebraska, when they come and what they eat – counted from 3.0 million bird sightings reported across Nebraska from 2019 to 2024.

  • 23year-round residents
  • 9winter visitors
  • 11summer visitors
American Robin – the most common of the backyard birds in Nebraska
Photo Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Nebraska

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

  1. 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

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

    Blue Jay

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: peanuts, sunflower, corn

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

  3. 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

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

    European Starling

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

  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. 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

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  9. 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

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

    Northern Flicker

    Everyday visitor · most common in September

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    House Finch

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: black oil sunflower, nyjer

    Photo: MostlyDross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    White-breasted Nuthatch

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: sunflower, suet, peanuts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

Oct – Mar

Winter birds of Nebraska

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

    American Tree Sparrow

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mary Krieger / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Red-breasted Nuthatch

    Regular visitor · most common in January

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

  4. Harris's Sparrow, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Harris's Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: seeds

    Photo: Jonathan Eisen / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    White-throated Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    White-crowned Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mike Baird / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Pine Siskin

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: fishhawk / iNaturalist, CC BY

Apr – Sep

Summer visitors

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

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

    Common Grackle

    Everyday visitor · most common in June

    Eats: cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Shaun Coleman / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Brown-headed Cowbird

    Everyday visitor · most common in June

    Eats: millet, cracked corn

    Photo: cello caruso-turiello / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Red-headed Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: suet, sunflower, peanuts

    Photo: Matthew Gerke / iNaturalist, CC BY

  4. 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

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

    Chipping Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in May

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    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

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: suet, cracked corn

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Indigo Bunting

    Occasional visitor · most common in July

    Eats: nyjer, millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in Nebraska

5 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Nebraska. Downy Woodpecker and Northern Flicker 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 Woodpecker2.3%
  2. Northern Flicker2.0%
  3. Red-bellied Woodpecker1.7%
  4. Red-headed Woodpecker0.7%
  5. Hairy Woodpecker0.7%
  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. Northern Flicker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Northern Flicker

    Everyday visitor · most common in September

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Red-headed Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: suet, sunflower, peanuts

    Photo: Matthew Gerke / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

Hummingbirds

When hummingbirds arrive and leave Nebraska

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

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 Nebraska, darkest in the peak month.

Identification

Red birds in Nebraska

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.
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 Nebraska

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
American Robin
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
European Starling
Mourning Dove
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Flicker
House Finch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Black-capped Chickadee
Common Grackle
American Tree Sparrow

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Nebraska: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Nebraska?

The American robin. It makes up about 3.9% of all bird sightings reported in Nebraska, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Nebraska in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the American robin, blue jay, northern cardinal, winter brings dark-eyed junco, American tree sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch.

What woodpeckers live in Nebraska?

5 species are reported regularly: downy woodpecker, northern flicker, red-bellied woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, hairy woodpecker.

When do hummingbirds leave Nebraska?

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

More states

Backyard birds in other states