Many different types of wild birds, from common to exotic, may be found in Texas. We’ll look at some of the more identifiable and well-known backyard birds found in the state in this article. Some of these species are year-round inhabitants in Texas, while others are migratory and only visit the state occasionally.
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 Of Texas | Bird’s Length | Bird’s Weight | Identification(Color) | Favorite Food |
| Northern Cardinal | 21-24 cm | 43 gm | 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. |
| Black-crested Titmouse | 5.9 in (15 cm) | 0.5-0.7 oz (15.2-18.4 g) | This bird has a black crest with medium gray upper body and pale grey lower body, with grayish flanks. | This bird’s diet mostly consists of small invertebrates and seeds. |
| Carolina Chickadee | 12 cm | 10 gm | 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. |
| Blue Jay | 22-30 cm | 65-110 gm | Blue crest, black backs, and white undersides. | Acorns, insects, grain, nuts, and seeds. |
| Eastern Bluebird | 16-21 cm | 30 gm | These birds are small thrushes with comparatively bigger heads that are round in shape, with large bellies and large eyes. The males are deep blue and red whereas the females are gray and blue, with a hint of orange-brown. | They eat a wide variety of insects and mealworms. |
| White-winged Dove | 30 cm | 150 gm | Pale brown in color with a black line on their cheeks and a white stripe on the edge of their wings with a dark patch in the middle. | They feed on large seeds and grains like sunflower, corn, safflower, and milo along with berry-yielding shrubs. |
| American Robin | 23-28 cm | 77 gm | 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. |
| Mourning Dove | 22-36 cm | 120 gm | Soft brown in color with hints of black on the wings. | Millet, black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, peanut hearts. |
| European Starling | 22 cm | 58-100 gm | 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 Goldfinch | 11-13 cm | 14 gm | 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. |
| House Finch | 14 cm | 19-22 gm | 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. |
| House Sparrow | 14-18 cm | 24-40 gm | 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. |
| Golden-fronted Woodpecker | 8.7-10.2 in (22-26 cm) | 2.6-3.5 oz (73-99 g) | They have black-and-white barred wings, grayish-brown heads, and bodies with golden napes and nasal tufts. | This bird’s diet mostly consists of fruits and insects. |
| American Crow | 40-53 cm | 320-620 gm | 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. |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | 3.1-3.5 in (8-9 cm) | 0.1-0.2 oz (2.8-4.5 g) | This bird has a white chest and an iridescent green upper body with greenish flanks. They also have a rose-magenta throat patch | This bird’s diet mostly consists of insects and nectar |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 23-27 cm | 72 gm | 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. |
| Downy Woodpecker | 14-17 cm | 21-28 gm | 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. |
| Green Jay | 11.4 in (29 cm) | 2.3-3.9 oz (66-110 g) | This bird has a rich green upper body and pale yellow-green lower body, with a blue crown, black throat, and an eyepatch. | This bird’s diet consists of insects, fruits, seeds, and small invertebrates. |
| Buff-bellied Hummingbird | 3.9-4.3 in (10-11 cm) | 0.1-0.1 oz (2-4 g) | This bird has a bronzy green upper body with a buff belly, rich iridescent blue-green throat, and breast. Rufous tail and red bill with a dark tip | The majority of their diet consists of nectar and small insects |
| Ladder-backed Woodpecker | 6.3-7.1 in (16-18 cm) | 0.7-1.7 oz (21-48 g) | This bird has a black-and-white upper body, with stripes on the back, and a checkered pattern on the wings | The majority of their diet consists of insects and small invertebrates |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | 14 cm | 12.5 gm | Gray with flashes of yellow, with slightly brownish tones in females. | Insects and fruits like wax myrtle and bayberry. |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | 2.8-3.5 in (7-9 cm) | 0.1-0.2 oz (2-6 g) | This bird has a bright emerald or golden-green on the back and crown, with a gray-white underbody. | The majority of their diet consists of nectar, insects, and small invertebrates. |
| Northern Mockingbird | 21-26 cm | 47-51 gm | Small heads and long tails, with gray-brown body color. They have white wing bars. | Hawthorns, mulberries, blackberry brambles. |
| Carolina Wren | 12-14 cm | 18-23 gm | Shy Birds with Brownish feather tones, white eyebrow stripes, and an upright tail. | Insects, spiders, caterpillars, crickets, beetles, moths, and Grasshoppers. |
| Northern Flicker | 30-35 cm | 120 gm | 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. |
Backyard Birds Of Texas In Different Seasons
Summer Backyard Birds
- Northern Mockingbird (52%)
- Northern Cardinal (52%)
- Mourning Dove (46%)
- White-winged Dove (38%)
- House Sparrow (30%)
- Barn Swallow (28%)
- Carolina Wren (26%)
- Blue Jay (26%)
- Carolina Chickadee (25%)
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (22%)
- House Finch (21%)
- Painted Bunting (20%)
- European Starling (20%)
- Red-winged Blackbird (17%)
- White-eyed Vireo (16%)
- Red-bellied Woodpecker (15%)
- Western Kingbird (15%)
- American Crow (15%)
- Brown-headed Cowbird (15%)
- Black-chinned Hummingbird (14%)
- Chimney Swift (13%)
- Black-crested Titmouse (14%)
- Bewick’s Wren (12%)
Winter Backyard Birds
- Northern Cardinal (48%)
- Northern Mockingbird (42%)
- Yellow-rumped Warbler (36%)
- Mourning Dove (29%)
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet (28%)
- Eastern Phoebe (27%)
- Carolina Chickadee (26%)
- Blue Jay (24%)
- Carolina Wren (23%)
- White-winged Dove (23%)
- Red-winged Blackbird (22%)
- Orange-crowned Warbler (22%)
- House Sparrow (21%)
- American Goldfinch (20%)
- European Starling (19%)
- American Crow (19%)
- American Robin (18%)
- Red-bellied Woodpecker (17%)
- House Finch (16%)
- Black-crested Titmouse (14%)
- Savannah Sparrow (14%)
- Cedar Waxwing (13%)
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker (13%)
- Loggerhead Shrike (13%)
- Downy Woodpecker (13%)
- Eastern Bluebird (12%)
- Chipping Sparrow (12%)
Backyard Birds Of Texas In Detail
Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinals are one of North America’s most well-known and ubiquitous backyard birds. Females have duller hues and are more pale brown with some reddish pattern, while males have vivid red feathers and a black mask.
The “mohawks” and bright orange beaks of both males and females make them immediately identifiable.
Northern Cardinals can be found throughout the year-round in almost every part of Texas.
Sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, and milo attract more Northern Cardinals to backyard feeders.
Black-crested Titmou
Within their area, these little birds are fairly prevalent at feeders and in backyards. This bird has a mohawk just like the cardinal that will help you distinguish them from other bird species.
Just above their beaks, they have a black patch (silver-grey on the top and pale silver on the bottom).
The Black-crested Titmouse may be found throughout most of Texas all year, while they are only found in a small part of Oklahoma.
Sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts on tube feeders or suet cages can attract Black-crested Titmouse to your backyard feeders. They’ll eat from platform feeders as well.
Carolina Chickadee
Chickadees are little birds with a black crown and bib that make them easily identifiable. Their underbodies are bulbous and their cheeks are completely white. Their wings and backs are of blackish-grey color.
Eastern Texas is home to Carolina Chickadees, which are not to be confused with Black-capped Chickadees. They frequent bird feeders and may be seen flying back and forth from one feeder to the next, looking for food.
You can attract Carolina Chickadees to your backyard feeders by providing black oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer seeds, suet feeders, or peanuts.
These birdfeeders are best for this bird: Tube feeders, suet cages, and platform feeders.
Blue Jay
The blue jay is a lovely genus bird that may be found in huge flocks in parks, near water, and near human settlements.
Mountainous locations with steep cliffs and exposed soil are frequent habitats for this species. It’s a popular visitor’s bird, and its vivid, colorful plumage has long made it a favorite of photographers.
Blue Jays are another year-round inhabitant of Texas, however, they are less abundant in East Texas. They are frequently seen in backyards and at bird feeders.
Blue jays are often regarded as the greatest bird for bird watchers and walkers since they are timid and may hide in long grass and oak trees.
They eat a variety of seeds, but sunflower seeds are their favorite. Berries, suet, insects, worms, and carrion are among the things they consume.
If you want to attract them to your backyard. You can use tray feeders or hopper feeders on a post and feed Blue Jay’s peanuts, sunflower seeds, or suet. They’ll also like a birdbath.
Eastern Bluebir
Eastern Bluebirds are a little bigger than House Finches. The length is similar to the White-crowned Sparrow, but the proportions are different. Chunky, with a huge head and a short tail.
Straight, slim, and bent at the tip. Males are bright blue on top (including the wings and tail), rusty orange on the bottom, and white on the belly and under the tail. Females are often lighter, nearly grey in color.
Eastern Bluebirds are a widespread species in Texas, however, they are less common in far West Texas.
If your yard is reasonably wide and roomy, you may attract more Eastern Bluebirds to your yard by providing mealworms in nest boxes.
White-winged Dove
White-winged Doves, like their cousins the Mourning Doves, are more often observed pecking about on the ground for food than at bird feeders.
These doves are generally pale brown with white tips on their tails and white inner wings and black outer wings.
Though White-winged Doves are known to frequent backyards, they are more commonly seen in the Sonoran Desert, where they dine on the fruits of saguaro cactus.
White-winged Doves may be found across the southern United States, particularly in Texas.
Use sunflower, maize, safflower, and milo on platform feeders to attract more White-winged Doves to your yard. Plant native berry-producing plants as well.
American Robin
American Robin’s breasts are reddish-orange, while their head, back, wings, and tail are all covered with black feathers. They also have long pointed beaks and white patterns on the margins of their wings.
They are timid and like to live in woodland settings. They are herbivores in their native environment, eating berries, leaves, and insects.
Most robins spend the whole year in Texas, while some in West Texas may move north for the winter.
If you want to attract American Robin to your backyard then feed them sunflower seeds, suet, peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms.
Talking about the type of feeders, platform feeders are the best choice and you can also distribute food on the ground. Plant juniper, sumac, hawthorn, and dogwood, which are natural plants that yield berries.
Mourning Dove
The mourning dove is a native member of the Columbidae family of doves. The mourning dove, rain dove, wetland dove, turtle dove, and, more lately, simply the mourning dove are all names given to the species.
Mourning Doves may be found across Texas at any time of year.
By distributing millet on the ground or using platform feeders, you may attract more Mourning Doves to your yard. They’ll consume black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, and peanut hearts, among other things.
European Starling
The European starling, often known as the common starling in the United Kingdom, is a medium-sized passerine bird that belongs to the Sturnidae family of the avian order songbirds.
It’s around 20 cm long and has metallic green plumage with a faint golden sheen that’s mottled with white at different times of the year. Similar to many other songbirds, It has a tinny, high-pitched tone to it.
Starlings may be found all year in every one of the lower 48 states, including Texas.
If you want to attract European Starling to your backyard then feed them black oil sunflower seeds, suet, cracked corn, and peanuts.
American Goldfinch
Goldfinches are one of my favorite birds to see at feeders, especially in the spring and summer when they have their beautiful yellow feathers.
They are primarily yellow, with black-tipped wings and a black cap on top of their heads during this time. The black on their wings and their finch-like beaks make them easy to spot at any time of year.
The bulk of Texas is home to goldfinches, who have a non-breeding range, so seek for them in the winter.
If you want to attract American Goldfinch to your yard then plant thistles and milkweed in your backyard.
You can use almost any bird feeder because they get attracted to any of them and they also like sunflowers and Nyjer seed.
House Finch
Originally a Western bird, it may now be found across the United States. Other red finches exist, but house finches are the ones that are most likely to be found in residential environments.
House Finches have a medium-long notched tail, a medium-sized physique, and a round head. Males have a crimson head, breast, and rump (occasionally orange or yellow).
House Finches are mostly found in Texas’ western half and are considered uncommon at the state’s eastern boundaries and along the Gulf coast.
Black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube feeders or platform feeders can attract more House Finches to backyard feeders.
House Sparrow
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. Their wings and buffy breast are predominantly brown in hue, with some black and brown streaks.
Males wear black masks and have black chests. They are antagonistic to other birds in general, especially around nests.
Throughout the year, House Sparrows may be seen in all parts of Texas. They’re particularly common in agricultural areas in the High Plains region.
Most types of birdseed, such as millet, maize, and sunflower seeds, will attract more House Sparrows to your backyard feeders.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
In different parts of their range, these lovely woodpeckers might have somewhat distinct colors. Yellow (often a golden orange) is found above the beak, on the nape of the neck, and on the lower abdomen of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers.
In Texas, Golden-fronted Woodpeckers may be seen all year. They are more abundant from south to north in the state’s midsection and are considered rare in Texas’ far eastern, far western, and northern panhandle regions.
This bird is mostly found in Mexico and Central America, and Texas is one of the few places in the United States where it may be found.
Suet feeders, as well as peanuts, sunflower seeds, and fruit will attract more Golden-fronted Woodpeckers.
American Crow
The American Crow is a bright and colorful bird. This is one of the most common birds in the area, and it can be found all around the province.
Birders frequently discover these birds breeding in trees along the sides of roadways or even in people’s backyards.
Eastern Texas and the Texas panhandle are home to American Crows throughout the year.
They are frequently found grazing on the roots of trees and plants, although they seldom nectar from flowers.
They are one of the most active species of these birds, meaning they are always on the search for new foods. By throwing peanuts in your yard, you can attract additional American Crows.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Males have magenta necks and mostly green and white bodies with buffy flanks. Males emit a loud metallic “trilling” sound with special feathers on their wingtips during the spring and summer.
By the end of the winter, these feathers are worn down and regrown for the next spring breeding season.
Breeding is possible at high elevations where nightly temperatures are below freezing. They go into a phase of hibernation, in order to preserve energy in the cold until the sun rises again.
During the breeding and migratory seasons, broad-tailed hummingbirds can be seen throughout western Texas.
Beginning in late March, they travel north into Texas, then south again by October/November. Although some have been known to remain at feeders throughout the winter.
With the help of nectar feeders, you can attract Broad-tailed Hummingbirds to your backyard.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
For a backyard bird, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are rather enormous. In size, they are between a Starling and an American Robin. They are a smaller version of the Northern Flicker.
This bird has a big head and a short tail. They cling to tree stems with short stiff tails and sturdy short legs.
They have a Pale-grey body with several thin black-and-white bands over the back and wings. Males have a red nape that extends forward on the crown.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers may be found across most of eastern Texas throughout the year, although they aren’t as frequent in the state’s middle and western regions.
Suet feeders will attract more Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and will occasionally eat from hummingbird feeders.
Downy Woodpecker
The downy woodpecker can frequently be heard shrieking or chirping in a high, difficult-to-reach tree. Sagebrush thickets and woodlands are where you’ll find them.
They have a red patch on the back of their heads, white underbodies, black wings with white spots, black and white striped heads, and males have a red mark on their wings while females don’t.
Downy Woodpeckers may be seen all year on Texas’ eastern side.
If you want to attract Downy Woodpeckers to your yard. You can feed black oil sunflower seeds, millet, and peanuts to Downy Woodpeckers on the platform and Suet feeder.
Green Jay
The only place in the United States where you may see this tropical-looking jay is Texas. Green Jays may be found mostly along the Gulf Coast of Mexico and Central America, although they also have a presence in southern Texas.
Green Jays are known to utilize tools, such as picking up sticks and prying loose bark off of trees in order to access insects.
Green Jays can only be seen in the far south of Texas. Open-style bird feeders such as platform feeders and Nectar feeders may attract Green jays.
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbirds are among the largest hummingbirds seen in the United States. They appear to have an unusual hummingbird trait of migrating north after the mating season, into the northern Gulf coast areas of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
Only the southern and coastal portions of Texas are home to Buff-bellied hummingbirds. They can stay near the southern point all year, but once their mating season ends in August, they tend to migrate north along the coast.
Nectar feeders can attract Buff-bellied Hummingbirds to your backyard.
Ladder-Backed Woodpecker
Ladder-back woodpeckers are abundant in deserts and scrubland. They prefer undeveloped scrubland in Texas, which is dominated by mesquite and prickly pear cactus. They get their name from the horizontal striped pattern on their back that resembles “rungs on a ladder.”
Ladder-backed woodpeckers may be seen throughout the year throughout much of Texas. The greatest habitat is found in the state’s western and southern regions.
Ladder-backed Woodpeckers consume suet and may even visit nectar feeders like many other woodpeckers.
Yellow-Rumped Warble
Yellow-rumped Warbler is a common winter visitor to treetops and weedy regions in the southern United States.
They are smaller than juncos and House Finches. With a shorter tail, plump and neckless.
In the spring, the breeding plumage is blue-grey on the top portions, black on the sides and breast, yellow on the rump, and yellow on the sides. Both types have grey-brown upper plumage and creamy cream lower plumage in the winter.
During the nesting season, they are usually found in coniferous or mixed woods in the western Alps. Open regions with fruiting shrubs and scattered trees in the winter.
Breed across Canada and Alaska, as well as in western coniferous woods. Throughout Middle America, warbles may be found on both coasts and in the southern regions. Yellow-rumped Warblers can be found in Texas during winters.
Sunflower seeds, suet, raisins, and peanut butter can all be used to attract Yellow-rumped Warblers to your yard.
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
The male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have an iridescent red throat and a vivid green back and crown with a grey-white underbelly. Female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have brownish crowns and sides and are green on the back and white underside.
They are the only hummingbirds that breed in eastern North America, after which it migrates to Central America. When it comes to these hummingbirds, Texas is divided into thirds.
From April to September, the eastern third of the state has a breeding population, the middle area only sees them during spring and autumn migration, and the western third of the state doesn’t see them at all.
Set up hummingbird feeders with a mix of sugar and water to attract more Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Plant red or orange tubular blooms as well.
Northern Mockingbird
Throughout the year, and especially at night, Northern mockingbirds sing from exposed perches. They have an endless supply of their own distinctive short phrases that they repeat three times each, but they regularly intersperse other birds’ songs.
They have long tails and are slender. Legs that are long. Gray with white spots on the wing and tail, darker above.
Edge environments with dispersed trees and shrubs, parks, and residential areas are preferred. They may be found in the eastern and southern United States, the West Indies, and as far south as Mexico.
In the summer, birds migrate a little further north. They bravely protect their nests from intruders, such as other birds and cats. Throughout the year, Northern Mockingbirds may be seen all around Texas.
They don’t come to feeders very regularly, although they will come to open grass areas. If you want to attract Northern Mockingbirds, you can grow shrubs like hawthorns, mulberries, and blackberry brambles.
Carolina Wren
Carolina Wren is a tiny bird that falls between the American Goldfinch and the House Finch in size. They have a round body, short neck, flathead, vigorous tail fluttering.
They have a Rusty brown upper body with black bands on the wings and tail. A buff underbelly and a white brow line.
Carolina Wrens are found throughout the year in the eastern and southern half of Texas. They’re frequent backyard feeders and can be found in wooded or densely overgrown regions.
Suet feeders, hulled sunflower seeds, or peanut hearts in big tube feeders or on-platform feeders can attract more Carolina Wrens to your backyard feeders.
Northern Flicker
The northern flicker is a woodpecker that is modest in size. It’s widespread over North America, and it’s even endemic to portions of Central America, Mexico, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands.
Because they can forage almost everywhere, they make excellent bird feeders. You’ll encounter them in deciduous woods, evergreen forests, coniferous forests, and grasslands.
Northern Flickers can be found in larger numbers in Texas during the winter. They are most active at night, although they are quiet during the day, spending much of their time on the wing or perched on branches.
They are often seen eating only seeds or insects, making them an ideal choice for bird watchers.
Suet and black oil sunflower seeds can attract more Northern Flickers to your garden feeders.
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