Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of South Dakota

The birds that visit feeders in South Dakota, when they come and what they eat – counted from 1.3 million bird sightings reported across South Dakota from 2019 to 2024.

  • 18year-round residents
  • 10winter visitors
  • 15summer visitors
American Robin – the most common of the backyard birds in South Dakota
Photo Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

All year

Year-round backyard birds in South Dakota

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. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. American Goldfinch, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    American Goldfinch

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: nyjer, sunflower hearts

    Photo: lwolfartist / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    White-breasted Nuthatch

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sunflower, suet, peanuts

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

  8. 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

  9. Eurasian Collared-Dove, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Eurasian Collared-Dove

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, cracked corn

    Photo: Radu Teodoreanu / 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. 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

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

    Red-breasted Nuthatch

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

Oct – Mar

Winter birds of South Dakota

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 February

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Becky Matsubara / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    American Tree Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in February

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Mary Krieger / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. 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

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

    Purple Finch

    Occasional visitor · most common in February

    Eats: seeds

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  7. 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

  8. 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

Mar – Oct

Summer visitors

These birds spend spring and summer in South Dakota and winter further south.

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

    Red-winged Blackbird

    Everyday visitor · most common in June

    Eats: sunflower, cracked corn

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

  2. 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

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

    Common Grackle

    Everyday visitor · most common in April

    Eats: cracked corn, sunflower

    Photo: Shaun Coleman / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Song Sparrow

    Regular visitor · most common in July

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    Brown-headed Cowbird

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: millet, cracked corn

    Photo: cello caruso-turiello / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. 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

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

    Spotted Towhee

    Regular visitor · most common in June

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Nigel Voaden / iNaturalist, CC BY

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in South Dakota

5 woodpecker species are reported regularly in South Dakota. 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 Woodpecker2.1%
  2. Northern Flicker1.5%
  3. Hairy Woodpecker1.2%
  4. Red-bellied Woodpecker0.8%
  5. Red-headed Woodpecker0.4%
  1. Downy Woodpecker, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Downy Woodpecker

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    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. 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

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

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Regular visitor · most common in December

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Michael / iNaturalist, CC BY

  5. 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

Identification

Red birds in South Dakota

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.
Red-headed Woodpecker – the whole head is deep red, the body black and white.

Bird calendar

The year at the feeder in South Dakota

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

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

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

Questions

Backyard birds in South Dakota: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in South Dakota?

The American robin. It makes up about 3.1% of all bird sightings reported in South Dakota, and it stays all year.

What birds are in South Dakota in winter?

Besides year-round residents such as the American robin, black-capped chickadee, house sparrow, winter brings dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker.

What woodpeckers live in South Dakota?

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

More states

Backyard birds in other states