Massachusetts has a wide variety of backyard birds. And In this article, I’ll list and explain all the backyard birds of Massachusetts in Detail.
Note: If you’re short on time I have compiled a table of all the backyard birds with identification and their Diet. You can also read about these birds in detail below.
| Backyard Birds in Massachusetts | Length | Weight | Identification(Color) | Diet/Favorite Food |
| Black-Capped Chickadee | 10-15 cm | 12 gm (0.4oz) | Small bird with a big round head. They have black caps and beaks, white cheeks, with a gray back, wings, and tail. | They eat seeds, different berries, insects, suet, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, and spiders. |
| Blue Jay | 22-30 cm | 65-110 gm (2.2- 3.8oz ) | Blue crest, black backs, and white undersides. | Acorns, insects, grain, nuts, and seeds. |
| American Robin | 23-28 cm | 77 gm (2.7 oz) | These birds have black heads and backs with a hint of red or orange on their breast. | Mostly insects, berries, earthworms. In early summer, insects make up the majority of the diet; they also feed on many earthworms, snails, spiders, and other invertebrates. |
| Northern Cardinal | 21-24 cm | 43 gm (1.5 Oz) | Males are red with a black patch around their faces. Females have brown shades with red highlights and beaks. | Sunflower seeds, millet, milo, peanut hearts. |
| Song Sparrow | 12-17 cm | 19 gm (0.6gm) | Brown streaked birds are well known for singing all day just in order to attract mates during the season. | They eat a wide variety of insects like caterpillars, beetles, midges, spiders, and earthworms, along with buckwheat, raspberries, sunflower, wild cherries, wheat, and rice. |
| American Crow | 40-53 cm | 320-620 gm (11.2- 21.8oz) | These birds are large with all black bodies. They are found on treetops, beaches, and towns. | Earthworms, seeds, insects, fruits, fish, young turtles, clams, eggs, mussels, and nestlings of different species of birds. |
| Mourning Dove | 22-36 cm | 120 gm (4.2 oz) | Soft brown in color with hints of black on the wings. | Millet, black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, peanut hearts. |
| American Goldfinch | 11-13 cm | 14 gm (0.4oz) | They are quite popular, with bright yellow and black colors in males. The female counterparts however tend to be dull brown in shade. | Mostly seeds, some insects. Diet is primarily seeds, especially those of the daisy (composite) family, also those of weeds and grasses, and small seeds of trees such as elm, birch, and alder. Also eats buds, the bark of young twigs, maple sap. |
| Tufted Titmouse | 15-17 cm | 21 gm (0.74 oz) | Gray backs with a hint of white underneath and large eyes. | Insects like caterpillars, ants, beetles, spiders, snails, and wasps. Also nuts, berries, seeds, and shelled seeds. |
| Downy Woodpecker | 14-17 cm | 21-28 gm (0.7-0.9oz) | They are b&w in color with patches of red here and there. They are found in woodlots, in backyards, and along streams. | Insects, beetle larvae, acorns, berries and grains, black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, millets. |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 27-28 cm | 20 gm(0.7oz) | These are active little birds with a grayish-blue back and white face and belly with a black cap. Their lower belly and tails are mostly of the chestnut shade. | They feed on insects and larvae like caterpillars, ants, and even spiders. Other than that, they also feed on acorns, sunflower seeds, hawthorns, and corn crops. |
| House Sparrow | 14-18 cm | 24-40 gm(0.8-1.4 oz) | These birds are extremely common and would literally eat out of your hand. They are mostly found in busy areas close to human existence. | They feed on all grains and seeds, like birdseed, millet, corn, and sunflower seeds along with discarded food. |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 24cm/37cm | 85 gm (2.9oz) | All black only with a bright red and yellow patch on the top of their wings. The female is pale brown. | Mixed grains. |
| Common Grackle | 28-34 cm | 110 gm (3.8oz) | Tall blackbird with a long tail and glossy texture. These birds move in huge flocks. | Eats mostly insects, berries, seeds, fruit, bird eggs, although it is also known to eat frogs and snakes. |
| European Starling | 22 cm | 58-100 gm (2.04- 3.5oz) | These birds are stocky black, with a purple, green and blue hue. These birds are famous for their aggressive behavior. | They eat insects like flies, beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, and spiders, along with fruits like cherries, holly berries, mulberries, Virginia Creeper, sumac, blackberries, and even seeds and grains. |
| Gray Catbird | 21-24 cm | 35 gm (1.2oz) | Their songs sound like a cat’s mew. Gray in color with a black cal and reddish patch on the tails. | Fruits like dogwood, winterberry, and serviceberry. |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 23-27 cm | 72 gm (2.5oz) | A pale red belly with a red cap b&w stripped back. | Insects, spiders, nuts, seeds, acorns, pine cones, grapes, oranges, hackberries, mangoes, sunflower seeds, peanuts. |
| House Finch | 14 cm | 19-22 gm (0.67-0.77oz) | These birds have a redhead and breast in the males and a brown streak of colors in females. They are generally noisy and move in flocks. | Seeds, buds, and fruits like thistle, cactus, cherries, apricots, plums, blackberries, figs, and strawberries. |
| Northern Flicker | 30-35 cm | 120 gm (4.2oz) | Large woodpeckers, with a size in between crows and Robins, with brown body color and black spots, bars, and crescents all over their bodies along with a red nape. They also have hints of yellow on their bodies as well. | Black oil sunflower seeds are their favorite. |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 12-16 cm | 19 gm (0.6oz) | These are dark-eyed variants of Sparrows. These birds are long-distance migratory birds. | Black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, millet, and peanuts. |
Backyard Birds Of Massachusetts In Different Seasons
Backyard Winter Birds
- Black-capped Chickadee (48%)
- Blue Jay (39%)
- Northern Cardinal (37%)
- American Crow (35%)
- Dark-eyed Junco (33%)
- Tufted Titmouse (33%)
- Downy Woodpecker (33%)
- White-breasted Nuthatch (30%)
- Mourning Dove (27%)
- Song Sparrow (27%)
- American Goldfinch (26%)
- House Sparrow (25%)
- American Robin (24%)
- European Starling (21%)
Summer Backyard Birds
- American Robin (63%)
- Song Sparrow (54%)
- Gray Catbird (51%)
- Mourning Dove (50%)
- American Goldfinch (48%)
- Common Grackle (47%)
- Northern Cardinal (46%)
- Red-winged Blackbird (46%)
- Blue Jay (42%)
- Black-capped Chickadee (40%)
- American Crow (35%)
- House Sparrow (34%)
- Tufted Titmouse (30%)
- Chipping Sparrow (29%)
- Cedar Waxwing (28%)
- Downy Woodpecker (27%)
- European Starling (25%)
- Barn Swallow (25%)
- Eastern Kingbird (24%)
- Baltimore Oriole (24%)
- White-breasted Nuthatch (23%)
- Chimney Swift (21%)
- Northern Flicker (20%)
Backyard Birds Of Massachusetts In Details
Black-capped Chickadee
The back, wings, and medium-sized tail of the Black-Capped chickadee are light grey with a white border in the shape of feathers.
This bird is recognizable by a buff-colored white breast and underbelly, a black bib with a white face, and a huge black cap that reaches just below the eyes. The birds have black conical short beaks.
This bird prefers wooded habitats, but it may tolerate brush or bushes in dense vegetation. Marshes, as long as they provide ample cover for the Black-capped Chickadee, are also popular with this species.
This bird prefers peanuts and peanut butter as feeder food, although it also likes Black Oil Sunflower seeds and suet.
Blue Jay
Blue jays are a lovely bird genus that can be found in big numbers in parks, near water sources, and close to human settlements.
It’s a favorite of visitors, and photographers have long enjoyed its vibrant, colorful plumage. Because of their shyness and ability to conceal themselves in tall grass and oak trees, blue jays are commonly regarded as the greatest bird for bird watchers and hikers.
They eat a variety of seeds, but sunflower seeds are their favorite. Among other things, they eat berries, suet, insects, worms, and carrion. Blue jays will visit your yard if you feed them peanuts, sunflower seeds, or other seeds.
American Robin
American Robins have reddish-orange breasts and black feathers on their head, back, wings, and tail. Their beaks are huge and pointed, and their wings have white borders.
They are wild animals that prefer to live in forests. They are herbivores in their natural habitat, eating berries, leaves, and insects.
Sunflower seeds, suet and peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms are all favorites of American Robins.
You can either disperse the food on the ground or use a platform feeder. You can also grow berry-producing plants and shrubs such as juniper, sumac, hawthorn, and dogwood.
Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinals are one of the most well-known and common garden birds. Females have duller, lighter brown feathers with a reddish pattern, while males have vivid red feathers and a black mask.
Males and females both have lovely orange beaks and distinct “mohawks.” Northern Cardinals can be seen throughout the year in practically every region of the United States.
Northern Cardinals are drawn to backyard feeders that contain sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, and milo.
Song Sparrow
The song sparrow is a little bird native to the Americans. It is without a doubt one of the most numerous, varied, and adaptable native bird species.
It’s incredible to think that if this majestic bird decides to make our backyard it’s a permanent home, then we might be the first ones to see it every year.
They can be found in a range of habitats, such as tree bark, rocks, logs, and even steep rocky outcrops.
To attract more song sparrows to your backyard feeders, use black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and nyjer on platform feeders.
American Crow
The American Crow’s plumage is brightly colored. This bird is one of the most common in the area, and it can be seen practically anyplace.
According to birdwatchers, these birds are frequently spotted mating on trees alongside highways or even in people’s backyards.
They are one of the most active bird species, which means they are constantly on the lookout for new food.
If you want to attract American crows to your backyard then start by throwing peanuts and seeds in your yard.
Mourning Dove
The mourning dove belongs to the Columbidae family. The mourning dove has been given other names such as rain dove, wetland dove, turtle dove.
It’s popular right now in the Southeast, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, California, Ontario, and Canada. It also travels to major towns, meadows, farm fields, parks, resorts, and even residential areas.
If you want to attract mourning doves to your backyard then start by distributing millet on the ground or using platform feeders. They also like to consume black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, and peanut hearts.
American Goldfinch
The American goldfinch, sometimes known as the goldfinch, is a beautiful little bird. Each year, they have been known to travel considerable distances, with some going as far north as southern Mexico and as far south as the eastern side of the Canadian border.
They prefer marshes, backyards, meadows, forests, brushlands, fields, hedgerows, long grasses, and oaks, to name a few habitats. They enjoy spruce and oak trees and live near creeks, rivers, and streams.
To attract more American Goldfinches, plant thistles, and milkweed in your yard. They are drawn to most bird feeders and feed on sunflowers and Nyjer seed.
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse are identical to chickadees, only they have a crest instead of a black bib.
They are a small bird, but a massive titmouse; larger than chickadees and the size of a junco or House Finch. The body is spherical, with a huge and full tail, a massive head, and lengthy legs.
They have a light blue-gray bottom and a dark blue-gray top. The black feathers that surround the eye draw attention to its size. They can be found in parks and highly wooded deciduous woodlands.
If you place sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts in tube feeders or suet cages, Tufted Titmice will come to your backyard feeders.
Downy Woodpecker
In a high, difficult-to-reach tree, the downy woodpecker can frequently be heard screeching or chirping. They can be found in sagebrush thickets and forests.
Their backs are red, their underbodies are white, their wings are black with white patterns, and their heads are black and white striped. Males have a red mark on their wings, but females do not.
Suet feeders are more appealing to Downy Woodpeckers, however, platform feeders also provide them with black oil sunflower seeds, millet, and peanuts.
White-Breasted Nuthatch
They can be seen in deciduous forests, woodland borders, parks, and tree-filled yards, as well as at bird feeders. Beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, ants, and spiders are among the insects they eat.
They pound huge nuts and acorns into the bark of trees with their bills to obtain the seed.
Sunflower seeds and peanuts placed in suet or tube feeders may attract more White-breasted Nuthatches.
House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is another immigrant species that has prospered and is now one of the most common birds. They’re common near homes and buildings, and they’re quite docile, so they’ll eat right from your palm.
Most bird seeds, including millet, maize, and sunflower seeds, will attract more House Sparrows to your backyard feeders.
Red-Winged Blackbird
The all-black plumage of the red-winged blackbird is distinguished by bright red and yellow shoulder patches. In comparison to the males’ streaky brown coloring, the ladies are drab.
During mating season, males will fiercely defend their territory, even fighting anyone who comes too close to their nests.
During the winter, they congregate in massive flocks numbering in the millions. Red-winged Blackbirds can be found all throughout the United States.
If you want to attract Red-winged blackbirds to your backyard then start by spreading mixed grain and seeds on the ground. Massive tube and platform feeders can also be utilized.
Common Grackle
The Common Grackle is a beautiful bird that is easy to identify. They’re purple and blue all the way through, but unless you look closely, they appear black.
Their color darkens from the breasts upward, with a deeper blue saturation towards the face.
They feature gigantic wings, medium-sized tails, bronze-metallic eyes, and a massive, straight black beak. Females have a duller appearance, whereas young ones have darker skin and eyes.
White Proso millet, wheat, oats, and Black Oil Sunflower seeds are a favorite food of this bird. Combine at least one-grain offering with the seeds for best results.
European Starling
When inspected closely, European Starlings can be recognized by their purple-green plumage. Their entire body is covered in this, but their long, straight yellow bills are another noticeable trait.
They shed their sparkling plumage in the winter and replace it with a brown coat flecked with white patches.
This type of bird may be found nearly anywhere. They thrive in man-made environments, whether on a farm, in a town, or in a city.
These birds eat a wide variety of foods. When they aren’t eating insects, they eat berries, seeds, grains, and other foods.
Gray Catbird
Gray Catbirds get their name from their characteristic catty mew sound, which can last up to ten minutes. Their plumage is slate grey, with a black head and tail and a red patch under their tails.
Gray Catbirds are usually found in dense shrubs and tiny trees, particularly along forest margins or hedgerows. They live along the Atlantic Coast but migrate to the Gulf Coast after reproducing.
Fruit trees and shrubs such as dogwood, winterberry, and serviceberry might attract Gray Catbirds to your backyard feeders.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
For a backyard bird, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are enormous. They are approximately the size of a Starling or an American Robin. They are a little form of the Northern Flicker.
They’re big and stocky, with a large head and a short tail. With their short stiff tails and robust short legs, they cling to tree trunks.
Their bodies are pale grey, with a few black-and-white stripes on the back and wings. Males have a red nape that protrudes from their crown.
Suet and hummingbird feeders will attract more Red-bellied Woodpeckers to your garden.
House Finch
It was originally exclusive to the western United States, but it is now widespread throughout the country. Although there are many different types of red finches, house finches are the most frequent in cities.
It has a medium-sized body and a medium-length notched tail. Males’ heads, breasts, and backs are all blood-red. Small flocks can be seen on wires, tree limbs, and plants. At the moment, they are most common in both rural and urban areas.
Black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube or platform feeders might attract House Finches to backyard feeders.
Northern Flicker
Northern Flickers are huge woodpeckers that are roughly the size of a robin or a crow, with brownish coloration with black patches, bars, and crescents, as well as red on the neck.
The undersides of the tail and wing feathers of eastern birds are brilliant yellow, whereas those of western species are red. They can be seen on the ground in woodlands or forest margins hunting for ants and beetles.
Suet and black oil sunflower seeds can attract more Northern Flickers to your garden feeders.
Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco tends to prefer gardens with few open spaces, such as meadows, where they may feed on a wide variety of plant species.
The most frequent diet for these birds is the seed, especially sunflower seeds, although nectar and even caraway appear to be effective favorites as well.
To attract more Dark-eyed Juncos to backyard feeders, try black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, millet, and peanuts. Either dispersed on the ground or on a platform feeder.
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