Who's at my feeder?

Backyard birds by state

Backyard birds of Washington

The birds that visit feeders in Washington, when they come and what they eat – counted from 23.1 million bird sightings reported across Washington from 2019 to 2024.

  • 29year-round residents
  • 3winter visitors
  • 8summer visitors
Song Sparrow – the most common of the backyard birds in Washington
Photo iNaturalist, CC0

All year

Year-round backyard birds in Washington

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 December

    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 June

    Eats: fruit, mealworms

    Photo: Judy Gallagher / iNaturalist, CC BY

  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. 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

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

    Spotted Towhee

    Everyday visitor · most common in December

    Eats: millet, sunflower hearts

    Photo: Nigel Voaden / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Northern Flicker

    Everyday visitor · most common in October

    Eats: suet, peanuts

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    House Finch

    Regular visitor · most common in October

    Eats: black oil sunflower, nyjer

    Photo: MostlyDross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Anna's Hummingbird

    Everyday visitor · most common in February

    Eats: sugar water (1:4)

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

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

    European Starling

    Regular visitor · most common in May

    Eats: suet, mealworms

    Photo: Timothy Lindsey / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Steller's Jay

    Regular visitor · most common in September

    Eats: peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  11. Chestnut-backed Chickadee, one of the backyard birds that visit feeders

    Chestnut-backed Chickadee

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Garth Harwood / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Red-breasted Nuthatch

    Regular visitor · most common in August

    Eats: sunflower hearts, suet

    Photo: Matt Felperin / iNaturalist, CC BY

Sep – Apr

Winter birds of Washington

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. 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

  3. 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

May – Aug

Summer visitors

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

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

    Cedar Waxwing

    Regular visitor · most common in July

    Eats: berries, dried fruit

    Photo: iNaturalist, CC0

  2. 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

  3. 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

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

    Rufous Hummingbird

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

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

    Bullock's Oriole

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats: sugar water, fruit, grape jelly

    Photo: Millie Basden / iNaturalist, CC BY

  7. 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

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

    Gray Catbird

    Occasional visitor · most common in June

    Eats: fruit, jelly, mealworms

    Photo: kirk gardner / iNaturalist, CC BY

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in Washington

4 woodpecker species are reported regularly in Washington. 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 Flicker2.3%
  2. Downy Woodpecker0.8%
  3. Hairy Woodpecker0.4%
  4. Pileated Woodpecker0.3%
  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

    Occasional 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 September

    Eats: suet, peanuts, sunflower

    Photo: Blake Ross / iNaturalist, CC BY

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

    Pileated Woodpecker

    Occasional visitor · most common in March

    Eats: suet

    Photo: tsaiproject / iNaturalist, CC BY

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds in Washington: all year

The Anna's hummingbird is the main hummingbird in Washington – 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 Washington, darkest in the peak month.

Identification

Red birds in Washington

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.

Bird calendar

The year at the feeder in Washington

One row per bird, darkest in its strongest month.

BirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Song Sparrow
American Robin
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-capped Chickadee
Spotted Towhee
Northern Flicker
House Finch
Anna's Hummingbird
European Starling
Steller's Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-winged Blackbird
Bewick's Wren
White-crowned Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow

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

Questions

Backyard birds in Washington: questions

What is the most common backyard bird in Washington?

The song sparrow. It makes up about 3.2% of all bird sightings reported in Washington, and it stays all year.

What birds are in Washington in winter?

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

What woodpeckers live in Washington?

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

When do hummingbirds leave Washington?

In Washington the Anna's hummingbird stays all year.

More states

Backyard birds in other states