Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Oregon

The birds that visit feeders in Oregon, when they come and what they eat – counted from 19.3 million bird sightings reported across Oregon from 2019 to 2024.

  • 32year-round residents
  • 4winter visitors
  • 8summer visitors
American Robin – the most common of the backyard birds in Oregon
Photo Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Oregon

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. 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

  3. 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

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

    Northern Flicker

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  5. 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

  6. Spotted Towhee, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Spotted Towhee

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Nigel Voaden / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. California Scrub-Jay, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    California Scrub-Jay

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: nuts, seeds, acorns

    Photo: Dawn Beattie / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    European Starling

    Regular visitor · most common in January

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

  9. Anna's Hummingbird, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Anna's Hummingbird

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sugar water (1:4)

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    House Finch

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: black oil sunflower, nyjer

    Photo: MostlyDross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  11. Steller's Jay, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Steller's Jay

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Red-winged Blackbird

    Regular visitor · most common in March

    Eats: sunflower, cracked corn

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of Oregon

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

    Golden-crowned Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Kevin Krebs / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Fox Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, seed mixes, black oil sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

  3. Varied Thrush, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Varied Thrush

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats:

    Photo: Don Loarie / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    White-throated Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in November

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

Apr – Sep

Summer visitors

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

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

    Cedar Waxwing

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: berries, dried fruit

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  2. Black-headed Grosbeak, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Black-headed Grosbeak

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: black oil sunflower, fruit

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  3. 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

  4. Rufous Hummingbird, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Rufous Hummingbird

    Occasional visitor · most common in July

    Eats: nectar

    Photo: highsinger / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Chipping Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  6. Lazuli Bunting, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Lazuli Bunting

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats: millet, seed mixes

    Photo: Pat Farris / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. Bullock's Oriole, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Bullock's Oriole

    Occasional visitor · most common in May

    Eats: sugar water, fruit, grape jelly

    Photo: Millie Basden / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. Cassin's Finch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Cassin's Finch

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats:

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in Oregon

4 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Oregon. Northern Flicker 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. Northern Flicker2.4%
  2. Downy Woodpecker0.9%
  3. Hairy Woodpecker0.5%
  4. Acorn Woodpecker0.4%
  1. Northern Flicker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Northern Flicker

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Acorn Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in December

    Eats:

    Photo: Dmitry Mozzherin / iNaturalist, CC BY

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds in Oregon: all year

The Anna's hummingbird is the main hummingbird in Oregon – and it stays all year. Sightings peak in February, but you can see it at a feeder in any month.

Keep a nectar feeder up through the winter; on frosty nights bring it in or use a heated feeder so the nectar does not freeze.

Also reported: rufous hummingbird.

Nectar: one part white sugar to four parts water, no red dye. Hummingbird feeders compared →

Anna's Hummingbird sightings per month in Oregon, darkest in the peak month.

Identification

Red birds in Oregon

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.
Cassin's Finch – a mountain finch of the West; the male has a bright red crown that stands out from the pinker body.

Bird calendar

The year at the feeder in Oregon

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
American Robin
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Flicker
Black-capped Chickadee
Spotted Towhee
California Scrub-Jay
European Starling
Anna's Hummingbird
House Finch
Steller's Jay
Red-winged Blackbird
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Lesser Goldfinch
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Bewick's Wren

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Oregon: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Oregon?

The American robin. It makes up about 3.0% of all bird sightings reported in Oregon, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Oregon in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the American robin, song sparrow, dark-eyed junco, winter brings golden-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, varied thrush.

What woodpeckers live in Oregon?

4 species are reported regularly: northern flicker, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, acorn woodpecker.

When do hummingbirds leave Oregon?

In Oregon the Anna's hummingbird stays all year.

More states

Backyard birds in other states