Ohio has a wide variety of gorgeous backyard birds. And In this article, I’ll list and explain all the backyard birds of Ohio 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 Ohio | Length | Weight | Identification(Color) | Diet/Favorite Food |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Song Sparrow | 12-17 cm | 19 gm (0.60z) | 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 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Carolina Wren | 12-14 cm | 18-23 gm (0.6-0.8oz) | Shy Birds with Brownish feather tones, white eyebrow stripes, and an upright tail. | Insects, spiders, caterpillars, crickets, beetles, moths, and Grasshoppers. |
| Carolina Chickadee | 12 cm | 10 gm (0.3) | Tiny birds with significantly large heads with a black cap and neck and white cheeks and belly, gray back, tail, and wings. | Black oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer seeds, Suet seeds, and peanuts. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
Backyard Birds Of Ohio In Different Seasons
Summer Backyard Birds
- American Robin 69%
- Northern Cardinal 61%
- Song Sparrow 55%
- Red-winged Blackbird 54%
- American Goldfinch 53%
- Mourning Dove 52%
- Blue Jay 44%
- Gray Catbird 40%
- Common Grackle 38%
- European Starling 37%
Winter Backyard Birds
- Northern Cardinal 48%
- Blue Jay 41%
- Downy Woodpecker 40%
- Red-bellied Woodpecker 36%
- White-breasted Nuthatch 34%
- Tufted Titmouse 30%
- American Goldfinch 30%
- American Crow 29%
- Mourning Dove 28%
Backyard Birds Of Ohio In Detail
Northern Cardinal
The image of a vivid red male Northern Cardinal with black around his face, especially against a white winter background, is breathtaking. With their brown coloration, pointed brown crest, red accents, and red beaks, the females are likewise a bit spectacular.
Large tube feeders, hoppers, platform feeders, and food was thrown on the ground will all be used to feed them.
If you want to attract Northern Cardinals to your yard then feed them sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, and milo.
American Robin
American Robins, which consume earthworms, are a common sight on lawns. American Robins have an orange/crimson breast while their head and back are black.
Because they like to roost in trees throughout the winter, you’re more likely to see them in your backyard starting in the spring.
Sunflower seeds, suet and peanut hearts, berries, and mealworms are among their favorite foods. They might even consume mealworms straight from your hand.
If you want to attract American Robin to your backyard then feed them sunflower seeds, suet, peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms either dispersed on the ground or on a platform feeder.
Growing berry-yielding plants like juniper, sumac, hawthorn, and dogwood will also help in attracting these birds.
Blue Jay
Blue Jays have a blue erect crest, blue and black backs, and white undersides, and are common songbirds.
They are loud birds that move in family groups, consume acorns, and migrate in big flocks throughout the Great Lakes and Atlantic coast where food is available.
Because they consume acorns, they can be found in woodlands, especially around oak trees. They can also be spotted at feeders in backyards. They consume insects, nuts and seeds, and grain in addition to acorns.
Try putting peanuts, sunflower seeds, or suet in tray feeders or hopper feeders on a pole to attract more Blue Jays to your yard. This bird also likes birdbaths so you can also try them.
Mourning Dove
Mourning Doves are tiny, elegant birds with plump bodies and long tails. The wings have light brown color with black markings.
In meadows, pastures, and backyards, they can be observed perching on telephone lines and hunting for seeds on the ground.
You’ll mostly find mourning doves in an open region or along woodland edges. Mourning Doves are found across the lower 48 states throughout the year, however, they may move after reproducing in the far north.
By sprinkling millet on the ground or on platform feeders, you can attract more Mourning Doves to your yard. You can also feed them black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, and peanut hearts.
Song Sparrow
The song sparrow is a medium-sized New World bird. One of the least well-known and popular North American birds is the song sparrow.
Among North American native birds, it is unquestionably one of the most prolific, flexible, and adaptable species.
And it’s thrilling to think that if this beautiful bird decides to make a home in our yard, you may be among the first to see it. They can be found in a variety of environments, such as tree bark, rocks, logs, and even steep rocky outcrops.
To attract more song sparrows to your backyard feeders, place black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and nyjer on platform feeders.
American Goldfinch
The American goldfinch, often known as simply goldfinch, is a charming small bird native to North America. They are known to travel great distances each year, some as far north as southern Mexico and all the way down to the eastern edge of the Canadian border.
They prefer marshes, backyards, meadows, forests, brushlands, fields, hedgerows, long grasses, and oaks, to name a few.
Spruce and oak trees are preferred, and they may be found in groves along creeks, rivers, and streams.
If you want to attract American Goldfinches then you must grow thistles and milkweed in your backyard. They will come to most bird feeders, and they like sunflower and Nyjer seeds.
Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpeckers are one of the tiny woodpeckers in the United States. Most of the time Downy woodpeckers get mistaken for other birds such as nuthatches and chickadees.
They have a red patch on the back of their heads and are black and white in appearance. Hairy and Downy Woodpecker are almost similar and people get confused between these two.
Insects, beetle larvae, berries, acorns, and grains are the major foods of downy woodpeckers, which can be found in woodlots, along streams, city parks, and backyards.
If you want to attract Downy Woodpeckers then feed them black oil sunflower seeds, millet, and peanuts either on Suet or platform feeder.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are fairly large for a backyard bird. They are around the size of a Starling and an American Robin. The Northern Flicker is a smaller form of this species.
This bird has a long tail and a large head. With short stiff tails and robust short legs, they cling to tree trunks.
They have a pale grey body with black and white streaks across the back and wings. A red nape stretches forward on the head of the male.
Oak, hickory, and pine woods are among the areas where these birds may be found. In classic woodpecker fashion, it clings to the tree trunk and larger branches.
Suet feeders will attract more Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and they will devour hummingbird feeders on occasion.
Red-Winged Blackbird
The all-black plumage of red-winged blackbirds, save for the vivid red and yellow shoulder patches, makes them simple to distinguish. In comparison to the streaky brown hue of the males, the females are quite drab.
Red-winged Blackbirds may be found over much of the United States, however, they may travel south after breeding in the far north.
They are frequently seen perched on telephone lines, and during the mating season, the males will fiercely protect their territory, even attacking individuals who come too close to nests. Red-winged blackbirds gather during winter in huge numbers.
If you want to attract Red-winged blackbirds then spread mixed grain and seeds on the ground. They’ll eat also from tube feeders or platform feeders.
European Starling
European starlings, despite being a not native birds to the United States. This is one of the most common songbirds. They’re stocky black birds with purple, green, and blue iridescent tones.
Starlings consume insects such as beetles, flies, and caterpillars, as well as earthworms and spiders. Fruit such as cherries, holly berries, mulberries, Virginia Creeper, sumac, blackberries, and grains and seeds are also consumed.
Black oil sunflower seeds, suet, cracked corn, and peanuts may all be used to attract more European Starlings to your backyard feeders.
American Crow
Crows in the United States are huge blackbirds that produce a harsh cawing sound. They are common birds that may be found in a variety of environments, such as trees, woodlands, fields, beaches, and cities.
American Crow eats a wide variety of foods like earthworms, insects, seeds, and fruit. They also eat young turtles, mussels, fish, clams, eggs, and nestlings of other bird species.
In the winter, enormous flocks of up to two million American Crows congregate in communal roosts.
By throwing peanuts in your yard, you can attract additional American Crows.
White-Breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatches are small, energetic birds with a gray-blue back and white face and belly, as well as a black crown. On the lower belly and under the tail, they frequently have a chestnut hue.
They live in deciduous woods, woodland margins, parks, and yards with trees, as well as at bird feeders. Beetles and their larvae, caterpillars, ants, and spiders are among the insects they devour.
They cram huge nuts and acorns into tree bark and then beat them open with their bills to get the seed out.
Sunflower seeds and peanuts in tube feeders or suet feeders can attract more White-breasted Nuthatches to your yard.
Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse has a grey back and white underbelly, a lovely grey crest, and wide eyes, and is frequently seen alongside chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers.
They are seen in forests, parks, and at-home feeders, and may be aggressive against smaller birds. In the summer, they eat primarily insects, such as caterpillars, beetles, ants, and wasps, as well as spiders and snails. Seeds, nuts, and berries are also eaten, and shelled seeds are hoarded.
If you want to attract Tufted Titmice to your backyard then you can feed them sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts on tube feeders or suet cages and platform feeders.
House Sparrow
The house sparrow is a beautiful sparrow that may be found across North America. Many populations have been discovered in Canada, northern Germany, and Russia.
The house sparrow, like most members of its genus, has a thin incisor beak that it uses to split open fruits and pick at little seeds.
The house sparrow, unlike most other birds, exhibits a high level of intellect. They are gregarious creatures who form lifelong pairs rather than mating. They nest among trees in the spring but return to their natal holes in the fall.
Most types of birdseed, such as millet, maize, and sunflower seeds, will attract more House Sparrows to your backyard feeders.
Common Grackle
Common Grackle has a glossy iridescent tall body and is longer-tailed than other blackbirds.
They consume a variety of crops, but primarily maize, and congregate in loud groups high in the trees. They also seem to be foraging around trash, making them a nuisance.
Open forests, marshes, parks, and fields are among their many habitats. Common Grackle gathers in a huge number during winter.
If you want to attract common grackle to your backyard then feed them mixed grain and seed either on the platform feeder or dispersed on the ground.
House Finch
Male House Finches have a redhead and breast, while females have brown-streaked coloration. It was originally exclusively found in western states, but it was brought to eastern states and has thrived, even displacing the Purple Finch.
Parks, farms, woodland margins, and backyard feeders are all good places to look for them. They congregate in large, boisterous groups that are difficult to overlook.
House Finch likes to feed on thistle, cherries, cactus, apricots, strawberries, plums, blackberries, and figs.
Black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube feeders or platform feeders can attract more House Finches to backyard feeders.
Carolina Wren
Carolina Wrens are timid birds with dark brown tops and light brown bottoms. Their white eyebrow stripe and erect tail, as well as their loud teakettle song, distinguish them.
They frequent backyard feeders and can be found in woodlands or densely vegetated regions, overgrown farmyards, and suburban settings.
Caterpillars, moths, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, and beetles are among the insects eaten by the Carolina Wren.
Suet, hulled sunflower seeds, or peanut hearts in big tube feeders or on-platform feeders can attract more Carolina Wrens to your backyard feeders.
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Chickadees have huge heads, blackcaps and necks, white cheeks and bellies, and silky grey backs, wings, and tails.
Carolina Chickadees also resemble the Black-capped Chickadee in appearance because they interbreed when their ranges intersect. Forested regions, parks, and backyards are all good places to look for them.
If you want to attract Carolina Chickadees to your backyard then feed them black oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer seeds, suet feeders, or peanuts. Talking about the type of feeder, you can use Tube feeders, suet cages, and platform feeders.
Northern Flicker
Northern Flickers are big woodpeckers with brownish coloration, black patches, bars, and crescents, and red on the neck, about the size of a robin or a crow. Eastern birds’ tails and wing feathers are brilliant yellows, whereas western birds’ are red.
Those that breed in Canada or Alaska move to the southern states, although they may be seen throughout the lower 48 states all year. In woodlands and forest margins, they can be spotted on the ground hunting for ants and beetles.
Suet and black oil sunflower seeds can attract more Northern Flickers to your garden feeders.
Gray Catbird
Gray Catbirds get their name from their characteristic catty mew sound, which may last up to ten minutes. They’re medium-sized songbirds with slate grey plumage, a black crown and tail, and a scarlet spot underneath their tails.
Gray Catbirds breed over much of the United States, with the exception of the Pacific Coast and interior along the west and southwest, before migrating south to the Gulf Coast, Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. Some stay near the Atlantic Coast all year.
Fruit and fruit trees or shrubs like dogwood, winterberry, and serviceberry can attract more Gray Catbirds to your backyard feeders.
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