Birdorable Blog

Our Backyard Birds

June 11th, 2009 in Backyard Birds, Personal – 13 comments

Since we moved to our new home (in northern Illinois) we've been trying to attract birds to our backyard. The first few weeks we didn't see a single bird at our feeders. The first bird to visit was an American Goldfinch at the end of February. In the last 3 months we've seen 19 different species in our backyard. We now have eight feeders and a bird bath and it's busy every day. It's so much fun to sit outside and watch the birds. My favorite backyard birds are the Baltimore Orioles. We have some oranges out for them on our fence.

Male Baltimore Oriole

Here are some pictures of our backyard birds. Most of these pictures were made with our Wingscapes Birdcam:

House Finches

Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Female Baltimore Oriole

Black-capped Chickadee

Northern Cardinal

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

American Goldfinch

Northern Flicker

What is your favorite backyard bird?

13 comments on "Our Backyard Birds"

11 Jun 2009
at 5:36am

Mandy wrote:

Ever since I was really young, I have been totally in love with mocking birds. I think it's because when I was a kid, my grandparents had a place at the beach and we used to vacation there once in a while, which was always a big deal for me. The room that I slept in had a small window that I'd leave open at night and even when it was long past dark, I'd hear the mocking birds chirping outside. I suppose that now when I hear them it brings back the memories and feelings I associated with visiting that place. :-)

11 Jun 2009
at 5:06pm

Ashira wrote:

Awww! :D You get all the same birds we do. ^__^ Do you have Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks in your area? They've just come back to our neighbourhood for the summer and I forget just how gorgeous they are until I see them every year. <3

11 Jun 2009
at 7:37pm

Birdorable wrote:

We don't see mockingbirds where we live in Illinois but coincidentally we arrived in Florida today and we have seen them everywhere here. They are indeed very cute and one of our favorites to see when we visit Florida. :)

11 Jun 2009
at 7:39pm

Birdorable wrote:

They are common here (northeastern Illinois) and we have often seen them in the field but unfortunately not in our yard. Maybe some day!

12 Jun 2009
at 9:32am

Ashira wrote:

I think they like safflower seeds if you've got any of those at your feeder. We have a grosbeak here who keeps trying to come in through our sliding glass door...I have no idea what he's up to!

14 Jun 2009
at 9:12am

Mandy wrote:

Probably my second favorite backyard bird is the tufted titmouse. They are absolutely adorable (they look like they have such big eyes!) and I love their chirping.

21 Jul 2009
at 2:31am

Jack D. Royer wrote:

I carve and sculpt and am looking for measurment statistics. At this time I am looking for full statistics on a red headed wood Pecker. maybe you can help me or stir me in the right direction. thanks Jack

21 Jul 2009
at 6:21pm

Birdorable wrote:

Hi Jack, you can try the Cornell website for details on bird statistics. Here is the page for the Red-headed Woodpecker: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-headed_Woodpecker/lifehistory. Good luck.

8 Aug 2010
at 11:59pm

virg wrote:

I like your pics.The birds you pictured also visit my feeders except for the northern flicker. I wish I have a camera like yours so I can get nicer pictures. I have @least 17 different species that visit our feeders. Its fun to have these visitors in your backyard.

9 Aug 2010
at 12:01am

virg wrote:

Can I use yuor pictures for my bird booklet.your pictures are much clearer and nicer than mine.

10 Aug 2010
at 11:53am

Birdorable wrote:

Hi Virg, what kind of booklet are you talking about? For publication, for school, sharing among friends, or something else?

15 Feb 2016
at 12:45pm

Kelsea Barker wrote:

I love the dark eyed junco. Once I was sitting at my computer and my dad walked in from outside (our back yard is like a mini forest) and he was holding a small little bird and so I named it fern and by the way this was Saturday and so I was like totally in love with her and yes we found out it was a girl and so that night my family and I was watching tangled and she hopped on top of the pillow and my mom was totally freaked out because she was caught her of guard but anyway so I was really super-duper excited and so we went to church the next day and I brought my friend home to see her and she was dead. It was sad but ever since then I have loved them and research more and more on them.