Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of New Jersey

The birds that visit feeders in New Jersey, when they come and what they eat – counted from 18.4 million bird sightings reported across New Jersey from 2019 to 2024.

  • 30year-round residents
  • 9winter visitors
  • 6summer visitors
Northern Cardinal – the most common of the backyard birds in New Jersey
Photo Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in New Jersey

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

    Mourning Dove

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / 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. 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

  5. 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

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. 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

  9. 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

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Tufted Titmouse

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sunflower, peanuts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  12. 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

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of New Jersey

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 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. 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

  5. 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

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

    Purple Finch

    Occasional visitor · most common in November

    Eats: seeds

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    American Tree Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mary Krieger / iNaturalist, CC BY

Apr – Oct

Summer visitors

These birds spend spring and summer in New Jersey and winter further south.

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

    Gray Catbird

    Everyday visitor · most common in June

    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

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats: nyjer, millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  5. 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

  6. 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 New Jersey

6 woodpecker species are reported regularly in New Jersey. 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 Woodpecker1.9%
  2. Downy Woodpecker1.7%
  3. Northern Flicker1.3%
  4. Hairy Woodpecker0.6%
  5. Pileated Woodpecker0.3%
  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 February

    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 February

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Northern Flicker

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  4. 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

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

    Pileated Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in April

    Eats: suet

    Photo: tsaiproject / iNaturalist, CC BY

  6. 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 New Jersey

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

Identification

Red birds in New Jersey

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 New Jersey

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Dove
American Robin
Blue Jay
Song Sparrow
Carolina Wren
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-winged Blackbird
European Starling
Downy Woodpecker
White-throated Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
American Goldfinch
House Finch
House Sparrow
Gray Catbird
White-breasted Nuthatch
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 New Jersey: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in New Jersey?

The northern cardinal. It makes up about 2.8% of all bird sightings reported in New Jersey, and it stays all year.

What birds are in New Jersey in winter?

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

What woodpeckers live in New Jersey?

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

When do hummingbirds leave New Jersey?

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