Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Rhode Island

The birds that visit feeders in Rhode Island, when they come and what they eat – counted from 2.5 million bird sightings reported across Rhode Island from 2019 to 2024.

  • 25year-round residents
  • 7winter visitors
  • 9summer visitors
Song Sparrow – the most common of the backyard birds in Rhode Island
Photo iNaturalist, CC0

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Rhode Island

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

  1. 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

  2. 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

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

    Black-capped Chickadee

    Everyday visitor · most common in November

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Northern Cardinal

    Everyday visitor · most common in April

    Eats: black oil sunflower, safflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. 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

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

    Carolina Wren

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Tufted Titmouse

    Everyday visitor · most common in April

    Eats: sunflower, peanuts, suet

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Mourning Dove

    Regular visitor · most common in March

    Eats: millet, cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

  9. 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

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in November

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  11. 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

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

    White-breasted Nuthatch

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: sunflower, suet, peanuts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

Oct – Apr

Winter birds of Rhode Island

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 November

    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

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    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

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

    American Tree Sparrow

    Occasional visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mary Krieger / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Pine Siskin

    Occasional visitor · most common in November

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: fishhawk / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. 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

Apr – Oct

Summer visitors

These birds spend spring and summer in Rhode Island 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 May

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Brown-headed Cowbird

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: millet, cracked corn

    Photo: cello caruso-turiello / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Cedar Waxwing

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: berries, dried fruit

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  5. 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

  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. Pine Warbler, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Pine Warbler

    Regular visitor · most common in April

    Eats: suet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Dan Vickers / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. 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 Rhode Island

5 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Rhode Island. Downy Woodpecker and Red-bellied 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 Woodpecker1.8%
  2. Red-bellied Woodpecker1.3%
  3. Northern Flicker1.1%
  4. Hairy Woodpecker0.5%
  5. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker0.1%
  1. Downy Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Downy Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in November

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / 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

Hummingbirds

When hummingbirds arrive and leave Rhode Island

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

Identification

Red birds in Rhode Island

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 Rhode Island

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

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

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Rhode Island: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Rhode Island?

The song sparrow. It makes up about 3.3% of all bird sightings reported in Rhode Island, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Rhode Island in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the song sparrow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, winter brings white-throated sparrow, dark-eyed junco, yellow-rumped warbler.

What woodpeckers live in Rhode Island?

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

When do hummingbirds leave Rhode Island?

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