25 Common Birds in America: Bird Identification by Picture and Song

"What bird is that in my backyard?" It's one of the most common questions new birders ask. Here are 25 of the most common birds in America, with key field marks, plus how to identify any bird by picture or sound using free tools.

How to identify birds by picture

The free Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology can suggest an identification from a photo you take, even a blurry one, along with its Sound ID feature that listens to birdsong. You can also answer a few simple questions about size, color and location. Field guides from the Cornell Lab, Audubon, Peterson and Sibley are excellent references too.

Common backyard birds

1. American Robin: orange breast, gray back. Hops on lawns pulling up worms.
2. Northern Cardinal: brilliant red male with a crest and black mask. Female is tan with red accents.
3. Blue Jay: blue, white and black with a crest, and loud.
4. Mourning Dove: soft tan-gray with a long, pointed tail and a mournful coo.
5. House Finch: streaky brown. Males have a red head and breast.
6. American Goldfinch: males are bright yellow with black wings in summer.
7. Black-capped and Carolina Chickadees: black cap and bib, white cheeks.
8. Tufted Titmouse: small, gray and crested, with large dark eyes.
9. White-breasted Nuthatch: walks headfirst down tree trunks.
10. Downy Woodpecker: the smallest North American woodpecker. Black and white.
11. Red-bellied Woodpecker: zebra-striped back and red cap. The red belly is hard to see.
12. Dark-eyed Junco: gray "snowbird" with white outer tail feathers, often seen in winter.
13. Song Sparrow: streaky brown with a central breast spot and a cheerful song.
14. House Sparrow: a non-native sparrow common around buildings.
15. European Starling: glossy, speckled and non-native. Often in noisy flocks.
16. Northern Mockingbird: gray with white wing flashes. Mimics other birds.
17. Red-winged Blackbird: black male with red-and-yellow shoulder patches, near water.
18. Common Grackle: large, glossy, iridescent blackbird with yellow eyes.
19. Eastern Bluebird: bright blue with a rusty breast, in open country.
20. Carolina Wren: small, rusty brown and very loud for its size.
21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird: the only breeding hummingbird in most of the eastern U.S.
22. Baltimore Oriole: brilliant orange and black. Loves oranges and jelly.
23. Cedar Waxwing: sleek, crested and fawn-colored, with a black mask and yellow tail tip. Travels in flocks for berries.
24. Red-tailed Hawk: a common large hawk often perched along highways.
25. Bald Eagle: America's national bird has made a remarkable comeback and is now seen across much of the country.

Four tips for identifying any bird

• Size and shape first: compare to a sparrow, robin or crow.
• Field marks: wing bars, eye rings, caps, streaks and tail patterns.
• Behavior: climbing, hopping, hovering, soaring.
• Range and season: check whether a species is expected where and when you saw it.

Test what you've learned with our backyard bird quiz, and learn what birds eat to attract more.