Birdy on my window… » Our Backyard Birds!

Our Backyard Birds!

These are the birds we have seen in and around Seattle and Redmond Wetland Mitigation (the Wetland Mitigation behind Microsoft!). We hope to continue to add more to this list soon.

	American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
	Habitat: Everywhere Diet: peanuts, insects, garbage, mice, eggs, young birds, road kill, human leftovers, grain Status: Least Concern
The crows found us first. We started to leave them bread. We soon switched to raw meat. We read on the internet that crows like peanuts. We decided to try to feed them peanuts (with shells). They definitely liked them. Now that is what we feed them exclusively. The crows are interesting to watch. They are social birds for certain but not so sociable with other kinds of birds.

	American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
	Habitat: weedy fields, open woodlands and anywhere with thistles and sunflowers–open areas especially Diet: Seeds mostly, it will eat insects, but it is considered the most vegetarian of any North American bird Status: Least Concern
This beautiful, bright yellow bird came to our seed feeder! We were so excited to see it. It has many names the American Goldfinch, the Willow Goldfinch, the Eastern Goldfinch, and Wild Canary. Many a name for such a pretty bird. It also happens to be the official Washington State Bird.

	American Robin Turdus migratorius
	Habitat: Lawns, woodlands, shrubs, trees, moist woodlands, suburbs, parks and even sheltered windowsills Diet: earthworms, butterflies, damselflies, flying insects and fruit Status: Least Concern
The Robins stay primarily on the ground foraging for worms. They will eat the seed if it is dropped down there but they generally do not come up to the porch to get it. They are usually in groups.

	Anna’s Hummingbird Calypte anna
	Habitat: Coastal lowlands, suburban settings and certain montane regions Diet: Nectar, flying insects and spiders — they love sugar water in hummingbird feeders Status: Least Concern
We really love to see the hummingbirds come to our feeders. They come every day, multiple times a day. The males are more skittish than the females who will sit and drink for quite a long time allowing us to take lots of photographs. The males drink from the opposite side and peek over to watch us in between drinks. They make little flitting sounds and often when they fly up — they sound like big bees with their rapid-flapping wings.

	Barred Owl Strix varia
	Habitat: Forested areas, from swamps and riparian areas to uplands. Prefers large blocks of forest. Diet: Small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. Status: Least Concern
I spotted the Barred Owl on a walk through the Wetland Mitigation. It was fairly close and very attentive. He even swooped down at me a few times. He did not like me near him.

	Bewick’s Wren Thryomanes bewickii
	Habitat: Brushland and open woods, around ranches and farms. Diet: insects and spiders mostly Status: Least Concern
The Bewick’s wren likes to hang out in the bushes and sticks in the Wetland Mitigation. They do not come out very often but you can spot them if you look while staying on the foot path. The stripes on the Bewick’s wren’s tail are interesting. They add to its charm.

	Black-Capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
	Habitat: open woodlands, clearings and suburbs (they love man-made nest boxes and rotting wood) Diet: bird seed, seeds and insects Status: Least Concern
Our most common visitor. They found our proper feeders first (not including the bowls and plates with peanuts put out for the crows). This bird is so adorable. They are jumpy little birds, hopping to and fro. And they are not the least bit shy as you may see from the picture to the left. They do not shy away when I go outside and add food to the feeders or take their photograph. There little songs are sweet.

	Brewer’s Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
	Habitat: open habitats, including fields, marshes and suburbs with parks and parking lots, agricultural areas and grasslands; the Target parking lot Diet: insects, fruit, grains and seeds Status: Least Concern
We see this birdy often at Target. They like to hang out in the parking lots. We have seen him a time or two on the porch but not often. He is more of an action bird, he likes the hustle and bustle.

	Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus
	Habitat: woodlands, parks and residential areas Diet: insects, eggs, larvae and seeds Status: Least Concern
Our first little bushtit–it was cute, tinier than the chickadee even but mostly unremarkable. When we see him around a bit more we will give you an update on his demeanor and hopefully get a clearer picture of him.

	Chestnut-Backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens
	Habitat: conifer forests, mixed woodlands Diet: insects, larvae, spiders, fruits and seeds Status: Least Concern
We did not recognize this bird at first as a new bird. We mistook it for the Black-Capped Chickadee. However, once we figured it out we were excited to see them visit our feeders. Typically, they go for the suet rather than the seeds but perhaps that is because they prefer insects and larvae to seeds, unlike the Black-Capped Chickadee.

	Dark-Eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
	Habitat: patchy wooded areas, coniferous or mixed woodlands,prefers to be near the ground Diet: seeds, grain, berries, insects, caterpillars, fruit from plants Status: Least Concern
This is another one of the regular visitors at our feeders. He loves the seeds. He prefers to get the seeds that are spilled onto the railing or porch floor. He is a ground dweller, so this makes sense. This bird has a wonderful song.

	Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
	Habitat: suburbs, parks, orchards, forests, woodlands and cavities of dead trees Diet: insects, larvae, eggs, sunflower seeds and suet Status: Least Concern
We get both male and female downy woodpeckers. They are soft-looking and sweet. They visit the suet feeder daily. They are small birds about 6 inches long. Adorable woodpeckers.

	European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
	Habitat: anywhere near human from urban centers to agricultural regions. Diet: this bird pretty much eats everything from, snails, worms, spiders, fruits, berries, grains, seeds and garbage Status: Least Concern
We first saw this bird at the feeder briefly. Now they hang around on the satellite dish and the lawn out front.

	Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
	Habitat: Montane coniferous and deciduous woodlands, chaparral, and riparian areas. Found in low shrubs or near ground usually Diet: Seeds, fruits, berries, insects, snails, and spiders Status: Least Concern
West of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest, we mostly have the slate (gray) colored fox sparrows. We didn’t get a very good photograph of this little fellow but he was hanging out in our flat ground feeder (3 stories up!)

	Glaucous-Winged Gull Larus glaucescens
	Habitat: coastal habitats including bays, estuaries, beaches and mudflats, inland rivers, and near garbage dumps Diet: marine invertebrates; small mammal; human, seal and seal lion leftovers; seeds Status: Least Concern
Two different gulls have come to the feeders. The latest one was completely white. It is too bad we could not get a photograph of it to share, it was very pretty.

	Golden Crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla
	Habitat: Lowland brushy areas, parks and suburban areas—migrates to more montane regions as well Diet: Flower petals, buds, fruits, berries, seeds and insects Status: Least Concern
This little beauty came to our new birdy ranch. You could definitely see the gold crown. From underneath the color resembled the dingy color of the House Sparrow but from above and behind this bird was a completely different bird—beautiful and singing away.

	House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
	Habitat: patchy wooded areas, coniferous or mixed woodlands, prefers to be near the ground Diet: seeds, grain, berries, insects, caterpillars, fruit from plants Status: Least Concern
These are pretty little birds. We did not know what they were at first having only seen them on the bird cam. The brilliant red was not so apparent then. It wasn’t until we saw it live on the porch that we could identify it. These birds come every day, multiple times a day and they stick around to eat. They come in groups generally and stay till they are full much to the chagrin of the jumpy little chickadees who want to grab some seed and go.

	House Sparrow Passer domesticus
	Habitat: near humans and/or livestock, urban, suburban, rural Diet: grain, seeds, shoots, millet, sunflower seeds Status: Least Concern
These birdies come to the porch quite regularly. They are sweet little birds with sweet little songs.


	Mallard Anas platyrhyncos
	Habitat: wherever shallow fresh water is they are sure to be from coastal lagoons to urban ponds, salt marshes and bays Diet: pluckling seeds, grasses or invertebrates from the bottom of the water Status: Least Concern
Ducks! Fun, wonderful ducks. They hang out down by the pond and love when we bring them bread or when we did. We have learned we are not supposed to feed them bread or anything because it is not good for them. Now we just say hello. They are pretty far down the path but they have been traveling up to the backyard quite frequently as of late. There is no telling why…maybe they miss the bread? It is quite the hike for them. They followed me up here, I am sure of it.

	Northern Flicker Coalptes auratus
	Habitat: open woodlands, suburban areas with sizeable living and dead trees Diet: ants, fruits, berries, seeds and nuts, and suets Status: Least Concern
We were so excited when this woodpecker started coming to our suet feeder. We had never seen one before. Now there at least three coming daily to eat. One came during a very heavy windy snow and it was the saddest thing ever to watch it hold tight trying to at while being blown off the porch. This is a very interesting bird. They stick around for about a half hour at a time, eating away.

	Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
	Habitat: dense, mature forests, woodlots, parks Diet: insects, ants, beetles, acorns, nuts, seeds and fruits Status: Least Concern
This bird has only visited the feeders once but what a visit it was. He was such a character looking around, checking things out, turning his head to the side as if he were thoroughly examining everything. It was fun to watch. He mainly hangs out in the trees in the Wetland Mitigation. He is a lovely bird. (And yes, he is the bird Woody Woodpecker was likened after! HA HA HA HA HA!!!)

	Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus
	Habitat: coniferous or mixed woodlands, urban parks, weedy fields Diet: seeds, insects, sap Status: Least Concern
At first we thought this was a house finch, oops. These birds are new to the feeder. They have vibrant yellow streaks, beautiful bird.

	Red-Breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
	Habitat: coniferous and mixed woods (will only nest in conifers) Diet: seeds, nuts and insects Status: Least Concern
These birds were the second birds to visit the proper feeders. They love the seeds and the suet and hang out in the trees by the porch. They actually climb the trunk of the tree. It is interesting to see. They do not stick around as long as the House Finches and they do not return every other minute like the Chickadees but they do come often.

	Rock Pigeon Columba livia
	Habitat: Anywhere near humans Diet: grain, seeds, fruit, garbage Status: Least Concern
They come in pairs generally and eat for awhile, then leave. Colorful birds.

	Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
	Habitat: suburban and rural gardens, weedy fields, dense streamside thickets, forest edges Diet: larvae, fruits, berries, grains, insects and seeds (also mollusks and crustaceans) Status: Least Concern
This is the prettiest bird. It is so sweet and has such a sweet song. It is difficult to get a photograph of it because it is shy. They generally hang out in the bushes and thicket near the edge of the Wetland Mitigation.

	Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
	Habitat: chaparral, brushy thickets, and forest edges Diet: seeds, fruit, small arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars and spiders Status: Least Concern
These birds are vibrant in color and fun to watch. They hang out on the ground mostly to eat whatever they can find. They have come up to the porch a time or two.

	Stellar’s Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
	Habitat: woodland habitats, orchards, agricultural areas near woods, residential areas Diet: human leftovers, insects, carrion, young birds, eggs, acorns and seeds (and peanuts — it loves peanuts!) Status: Least Concern
This is one of our favorite visitors. They come for the peanuts rather than the seeds. They are brilliant blue and black with little blue eyebrows. Such a pretty bird, you would think it would have a pretty song. Not-so-much. It has a very raspy, sharp pitched caw. It is very funny to listen to but nice to look at. They are fun birds with character and they stand up to the crow quite often where other birds just leave until the crows leave.

	White-Crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
	Habitat: Natural and suburban woodlands, thickets, brushy areas Diet: Insects, caterpillars and seeds Status: Least Concern
We found some of these little beauties because of their song and their bright beaks. They hang out right below our porch, singing and picking up fallen seed–digging for insects.