Who's at my feeder?

Identify by colour

Gray birds at the feeder

Titmice, catbirds, mockingbirds, juncos and doves – the gray birds that visit feeders and how to identify them.

Colours you saw

  1. Dark-eyed Junco, a gray feeder bird

    Dark-eyed Junco

    Variable: slate-grey and white in the East, black hood with chestnut back in the 'Oregon' form
  2. Gray Catbird, a gray feeder bird

    Gray Catbird

    Smooth grey all over with a black cap and chestnut under the tail.
  3. Red-breasted Nuthatch, a gray feeder bird

    Red-breasted Nuthatch

    Black eye stripe, white eyebrow, buffy-orange underparts and blue-grey back.
  4. Northern Mockingbird, a gray feeder bird

    Northern Mockingbird

    Slim, long-tailed and pale grey with white wing patches and white outer tail feathers.
  5. Tufted Titmouse, a gray feeder bird

    Tufted Titmouse

    Grey and white with a perky crest, pale face, black forehead and rusty sides.
  6. Eurasian Collared-Dove, a gray feeder bird

    Eurasian Collared-Dove

    Pale pinky-brown-grey with a narrow black neck collar and deep red eyes.
  7. Bushtit, a gray feeder bird

    Bushtit

    Tiny plain grey-brown bird with a small bill and long tail
  8. Pygmy Nuthatch, a gray feeder bird

    Pygmy Nuthatch

    Grey-brown cap down to the eye, white nape spot, grey back.
  9. Blackcap, a gray feeder bird

    Blackcap

    Greyish warbler with a black cap.
  10. Fieldfare, a gray feeder bird

    Fieldfare

    Grey head and rump, chestnut back and spotted breast.
  11. Verdin, a gray feeder bird

    Verdin

    Very small, mostly grey and long-tailed, with some yellow on the head and red on the shoulder (often hidden).
  12. Woodpigeon, a gray feeder bird

    Woodpigeon

    Largest UK pigeon: grey with a pink breast, white neck patch and thick white wing stripes in flight.
  13. Canada Jay, a gray feeder bird

    Canada Jay

    Fluffy grey jay, paler below, with a dark patch on the nape.
  14. Curve-billed Thrasher, a gray feeder bird

    Curve-billed Thrasher

    Dull grey-brown with a curved black bill and yellow-orange eyes.
  15. Gambel's Quail, a gray feeder bird

    Gambel's Quail

    Grey quail with a curving topknot, reddish cap, white-striped chestnut sides and a black patch on a yellowish
  16. Nuthatch, a gray feeder bird

    Nuthatch

    Blue-grey above, whitish below with chestnut sides and a black eye stripe.
  17. Juniper Titmouse, a gray feeder bird

    Juniper Titmouse

    Plain greyish bird with a short crest.
  18. Pyrrhuloxia, a gray feeder bird

    Pyrrhuloxia

    Grey and red with a spiky crest and a thick, curved, stubby yellow bill.
  19. Black-crested Titmouse, a gray feeder bird

    Black-crested Titmouse

    Grey and white with a black crest, white forehead and orange-tinged flanks.
  20. Oak Titmouse, a gray feeder bird

    Oak Titmouse

    Grey or brownish-grey with a very plain face and a short crest.
  21. Zebra Dove, a gray feeder bird

    Zebra Dove

    Small dove with fine barring, a blue-grey face and bare blue skin around the eyes.
  22. House Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    House Sparrow

    Grey crown, chestnut nape, black bib and whitish cheeks.
  23. American Robin, a red feeder bird

    American Robin

    Brick-red chest, grey back, white eye spots.
  24. Yellow-rumped Warbler, a yellow feeder bird

    Yellow-rumped Warbler

    Bright yellow rump, yellow patches at the sides of the chest and white tail spots.
  25. Mourning Dove, a brown feeder bird

    Mourning Dove

    Plain with black wing spots and a long pointed tail.
  26. Chipping Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    Chipping Sparrow

    Chestnut cap, white eyebrow and black eyeline in summer.
  27. White-breasted Nuthatch, a white feeder bird

    White-breasted Nuthatch

    White face and chest, blue-grey back and narrow black crown stripe.
  28. Blue Jay, a blue feeder bird

    Blue Jay

    Crested jay, blue-grey back, bright blue wings and tail, black necklace, white wing bars and tail corners.
  29. White-throated Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    White-throated Sparrow

    Striped head (white or tan), conspicuous white throat, dark bill and a yellow spot before the eye.
  30. White-crowned Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    White-crowned Sparrow

    Bold black-and-white head stripes, pearly-grey breast and a pink, orange or yellow bill.
  31. Fox Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    Fox Sparrow

    Large sparrow with heavy triangular spots below
  32. Black-capped Chickadee, a black feeder bird

    Black-capped Chickadee

    Black cap and bib, white cheeks, grey back and a buff wash on the sides.
  33. American Tree Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    American Tree Sparrow

    Rusty cap, two-toned bill, dark chest spot and two white wing bars.
  34. Carolina Chickadee, a black feeder bird

    Carolina Chickadee

    Black cap and bib, bright white cheeks, soft grey back and pale buff or grey flanks.
  35. Bewick's Wren, a brown feeder bird

    Bewick's Wren

    Dull brown above, pale grey below, white eyebrow and a long tail.
  36. Mountain Chickadee, a black feeder bird

    Mountain Chickadee

    Black cap broken by a white eyebrow, black bib and grey body.
  37. Evening Grosbeak, a yellow feeder bird

    Evening Grosbeak

    Grey and gold with a big pale bill, yellow eyebrow on a dark head and a big white patch in black wings.
  38. White-winged Dove, a brown feeder bird

    White-winged Dove

    Bulkier than a Mourning Dove with a shorter tail, big white wing patches and white tail tips.
  39. Brown-headed Nuthatch, a brown feeder bird

    Brown-headed Nuthatch

    Brown cap down to the eye, white nape spot, grey back.
  40. Harris's Sparrow, a brown feeder bird

    Harris's Sparrow

    Large sparrow with a black face on a buff or grey head, pink bill and bright white belly.
  41. Pine Grosbeak, a pink feeder bird

    Pine Grosbeak

    Large pink-and-grey finch with a stubby black bill and two white wing bars.
  42. Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, a blue feeder bird

    Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

    Slim, crestless jay: dull blue head, wings and tail, greyer back, light grey underparts with a faint blue ches
  43. Bullfinch, a pink feeder bird

    Bullfinch

    Pinkish-red breast and cheeks, grey back, black cap and tail and a bright white rump.
  44. California Scrub-Jay, a blue feeder bird

    California Scrub-Jay

    Crestless jay with blue head, wings and tail, grey back and a white throat bordered by a streaked necklace.
  45. Chaffinch, a pink feeder bird

    Chaffinch

    Blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts, two white wing bars and white sides to the tail.
  46. Coal Tit, a black feeder bird

    Coal Tit

    Black cap and bib, white cheeks, a white nape patch and an olive-grey back with pale wing bars.
  47. Dunnock, a brown feeder bird

    Dunnock

    Small brown and grey bird with a streaked brown back and a thin bill.
  48. Jackdaw, a black feeder bird

    Jackdaw

    Small black crow with a grey hood around the back of the head, a black cap and pale blue-grey eyes.
  49. Inca Dove, a brown feeder bird

    Inca Dove

    Small, long-tailed dove with a dark scaly pattern all over
  50. Varied Thrush, a orange feeder bird

    Varied Thrush

    Orange throat and eyebrow, dark chest band and extensive orange wing markings.
  51. Boreal Chickadee, a brown feeder bird

    Boreal Chickadee

    Brown cap, brown sides and a dusky wash on the cheeks.
  52. Canyon Towhee, a brown feeder bird

    Canyon Towhee

    Pale greyish-brown with a reddish-brown cap and a dark central chest spot.
  53. Common Ground Dove, a brown feeder bird

    Common Ground Dove

    Small, short-tailed dove with scaly chest and head and a pink bill base
  54. Red-crested Cardinal, a red feeder bird

    Red-crested Cardinal

    Red head, bib and short crest, white underparts and a grey back, wings and tail.

Questions

Gray birds: questions

What gray birds come to feeders?

Dark-eyed Junco, Gray Catbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmouse, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Bushtit, Pygmy Nuthatch.

Why does the bird look duller than in the photos?

Many species show their brightest colours only in adult males in spring and summer; females, young birds and winter plumage are often duller.

How do I find out which gray birds live near me?

Choose your state or UK nation in the filter above, or enter your ZIP code on the home page for the birds within 30 km.

By colour

Identify birds by colour