Birding In Central Texas!

This article is about different species of birds found in my backyard in Central Texas and how to attract them.

First, I will list the species of bird living in my backyard and talk about their diet, song, behavior, and migration (if they do migrate). I will also list how commonly the bird is found in my backyard (very common, pretty common, uncommon, rare, pretty rare, very rare).

Northern Cardinal

Cardinals are very familiar backyard birds throughout much of United States. Males are striking red except for black on their face, while females are dull pink and brown. Cardinals eat seeds, berries, insects, and other invertebrates. They also frequently visit bird feeders. Their song consists of  rich chirping and their call is a metallic chip. Cardinals live in our backyard year-round. They are very common.

Blue Jay

Blue Jays are bright blue jays. They are found year-round throughout most of eastern North America. Their diet consists of seeds, nuts, berries, insects, other birds' eggs, arachnids, small rodents, and frogs. They frequently visit bird feeders, where they are often aggressive. Males and females look alike. Its most common call is a harsh jay call. Blue Jays can also imitate the call of a red-shouldered hawk. Blue Jays live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Carolina Wren

Carolina Wrens are small, active, and cheerful birds. You can distinguish them from other wrens with its bold white eyebrow, buffy underparts, warm brown back, long beak, and cocked tail. It eats insects, seeds, and berries. It occasionally feeds on suet or mealworms at feeding stations. Its song consists of loud ringing and burbling and it can also sing a variety of calls. Carolina Wrens can nest almost anywhere-1 pair in our backyard built their nest in a hanging pot! They live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunners are huge, ground-dwelling cuckoos. They are mostly brown with white streaks, a long tail, and a short crest. Males have a red patch on their cheek. Greater Roadrunners are native to dry deserts, but they have adapted to living in cities. They prey on lizards, snakes, rodents, and large insects. Its song is a low-pitched cooing song. They live in our backyard year-round and are pretty common.

Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are very widespread throughout North America. They are mostly brown with black spots on their wings. These doves often perch on roofs and telephone wires. It song sounds like oohoo hoo hoo hoo. Also listen for whistling wings as it takes off. Mourning Doves eat mainly seeds, but will also eat berries and insects. Mourning Doves live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied woodpeckers are medium sized  woodpeckers. They are not well named because the slight red on their belly is barely seen. You can tell them apart from other woodpeckers by the black and white stripes on their back and the red on their head. The red on a male's head extends to its crown, but female's don't. The picture above shows a male. A Red-bellied woodpecker's diet consists of many insects and sap. They also frequently visit suet feeders. It's most common call is a rolling churr. Red-bellied woodpeckers live in our backyard year-round and are uncommon.

White-winged Dove

White-winged Doves are large, grayish brown doves with a white line on their wings. Males and females look alike. They eat seeds, and insects and frequently visit bird feeders. Its most common call sounds like " Who cooks for you? " White Winged doves live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Great-tailed Grackle(Male/Female)

Great-tailed grackles are large blackbirds. Males are purplish black and females are brownish black. Their diet is very varied-it eats many insects, spiders, millipedes, snails, crayfish, tadpoles, small fish, lizards, eggs, seeds, grain, berries, fruit, and nuts. The most common call of a Great-tailed grackle is a call that sounds like a rusty gate. They live in our backyard year-round and are pretty rare.

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadees are small, plump-bodied, and active chickadees. They are often the core of mixed flocks of songbirds. Males and females look alike. Its most common call sounds like chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Carolina Chickadees eat seeds, insects, spiders, and berries. They frequently visit bird feeders all year and love suet feeders. They are very acrobatic-they turn upside down on the perches on bird feeders to reach the seeds on the bottom! These small birds live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Black-crested Titmouse

These small titmice are grayish with brownish sides and a black crest. They eat seeds, insects, and other invertebrates. Their song consists of whistled tunes and their call is harsh and scolding. They live in my backyard year-round and are very common.

House Finch

These finches have adapted to living in suburban settings. Most males are brown with red on their head, but some males have yellow or orange. House finches sing a long series of jumbled warbling ending with an upward or downward slur. House finches eat seeds, berries, small insects, and small fruit. They live in my backyard year-round and are very common.

Cedar Waxwing

This cedar waxwing was migrating with its flock past our backyard when it hit a window and crashed to the ground. It was alive, but shocked. Soon, it flew away. Cedar Waxwings are smooth plumaged and beautiful birds. They eat exclusively fruit and berries. Their call is a high-pitched note. They live in our backyard in their wintering range and are very rare.

Black-bellied Whistling-duck

These ducks have a black belly, pink beak, and pink legs. They eat grain, grasses, and wetland plants. Their song is a series of high-pitched whistling notes. They live in our backyard year-round and are pretty common.

Great Egret

Great Egrets are are long-necked white egrets. They eat fish, rodents, and other water invertebrates. Their call is a dry croaking noise. Great Egrets live here year-round and are very rare(they are just seen flying in the sky).

American Robin

American robins are probably the most well known bird in the U.S. They are gray with an orange breast. Their song is a series of warbles. They eat insects, other invertebrates, berries, and fruit. American Robins live here year-round and are pretty common.

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinches are common winter visitors in central Texas. They mostly eat seeds, berries, and insects. Their song consists of twittering, warbling, and chirping. In our backyard, they are somewhat common.

Red-shouldered Hawk

These powerful hawks are reddish brown and eat rodents, amphibians, reptiles, and small birds. They have a long, piercing call. They live in my backyard year-round and are pretty common.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Ladder-backed woodpeckers are medium-sized woodpeckers with black stripes on their backs. Formerly called cactus woodpeckers, they eat seeds, wood-boring insects, berries, and cactus fruits. Their call is a sharp pik! Ladder-backed woodpeckers live in our backyard year-round and are very common.

Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser goldfinches are the smaller version of American goldfinches. The black-backed version of Central Texas has a black back, bright yellow breast, and a white tail. They eat insects and small seeds. Their song consists of warbling and chirping. Lesser goldfinches live in my backyard in their breeding range and are very common.

Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrows are small, native sparrows. They are brownish gray, with a light eyebrow. Their song sounds like a grasshopper, and their call is a staccato chip. They eat insects and seeds. Chipping Sparrows live in my backyard year-round and are very common.

Other Animals

Gray Squirrel

These medium-sized, intelligent critters dominate the backyard. They take down sunflowers, curiously pull plants out of the ground, topple feeders, etc. The list goes on and on. But altogether, the gray squirrels are still a part of nature and wildlife. When they eat sunflowers, the some seeds fallen on the ground are eaten by doves, cardinals, and blue jays. Them tackling feeders helps white-winged and mourning doves have a treat, along with a few wandering pigeons.

I hope you enjoyed this article about birds in my backyard! Have fun creating your own backyard and identifying the birds!