West Virginia has a wide variety of backyard birds. And In this article, I’ll list and explain all the backyard birds of West Virginia 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 West Virginia | 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. |
| Blue Jay | 22-30 cm | 65-110 gm | Blue crest, black backs, and white undersides. | Acorns, insects, grain, nuts, and seeds. |
| American Robin | 23-28 cm | 77 gm | These birds have black heads and backs with a hint of red or orange in 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. |
| 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. |
| Song Sparrow | 12-17 cm | 19 gm | 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. |
| Tufted Titmouse | 15-17 cm | 21 gm | 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 24cm/37cm | 85 gm | All black only with a bright red and yellow patch on the top of their wings. The female is pale brown. | Mixed grains. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Eastern Towhee | 17-23 cm | 40 gm | Large Birds with a black throat, head and back with reddish tinted sides, white belly, and long tails. However, the females have some shades of brown as well. | Black oil sunflower seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, cracked corn, millet |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 27-28 cm | 20 gm | 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 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. |
| 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. |
| Pileated Woodpecker | 40-49 cm | 250-300 gm | The biggest existing woodpeckers are almost the size of a crow. They have a flaming red triangular crest. | Carpenter ants from dead trees, black oil sunflower seeds, mealworms, peanuts. |
Backyard Birds Of West Virginia In Different Seasons
Winter Backyard Birds
- Northern Cardinal (49%)
- American Crow (47%)
- Tufted Titmouse (42%)
- Downy Woodpecker (38%)
- Blue Jay (38%)
- Song Sparrow (36%)
- White-breasted Nuthatch (36%)
- Dark-eyed Junco (34%)
- Carolina Wren (33%)
- Mourning Dove (32%)
- Red-bellied Woodpecker (32%)
- European Starling (30%)
- Carolina Chickadee (28%)
- American Goldfinch (28%)
- White-throated Sparrow (23%)
- House Sparrow (22%)
- House Finch (21%)
Summer Backyard Birds
- American Robin (61% frequency)
- Northern Cardinal (47%)
- Song Sparrow (46%)
- American Crow (45%)
- American Goldfinch (44%)
- Eastern Towhee (43%)
- Mourning Dove (42%)
- Red-eyed Vireo (41%)
- Blue Jay (40%)
- Tufted Titmouse (31%)
- Carolina Wren (30%)
- European Starling (30%)
- Red-bellied Woodpecker (23%)
- Eastern Bluebird (23%)
- White-breasted Nuthatch (22%)
Backyard Birds Of West Virginia In Detail
Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinals are one of North America’s most well-known and common garden birds. Males have great red feathers and a black mask, while females have duller, lighter brown feathers with a reddish pattern.
Both males and females have beautiful orange beaks and distinct “mohawks.” Northern Cardinals may be observed all year in almost every section of the United States.
- Attract Them: Northern Cardinals are attracted to backyard feeders with sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, and milo.
Blue Jay
Blue jays are a beautiful bird genus that may be found in large groups in parks, near water sources, and near human settlements. Hilly areas with exposed soil and high cliffs are ideal habitats for this species.
It’s a favorite visitor’s bird, and photographers have always admired its vivid, colorful plumage. Blue jays are usually regarded as the best bird for bird watchers and hikers due to their shyness and ability to hide in tall grass and oak trees.
- Attract Them: They consume a variety of seeds, but their favorite is sunflower seeds. They consume berries, suet, insects, worms, and carrion, among other things. If you give blue jays peanuts, sunflower seeds, or other seeds, they will come to your yard.
American Robin
Their breasts are reddish-orange, and they have black feathers on their head, back, wings, and tail. Their wings have white borders and their beaks are large and pointed.
They are wild animals that love to dwell in the forests. In their native habitat, they are herbivores who consume berries, leaves, and insects.
- Attract Them: American Robins are attracted to sunflower seeds, suet, peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms, among other things. It’s excellent to eat on the ground or on platforms. Grow trees and shrubs that produce berries, such as juniper, sumac, hawthorn, and dogwood.
American Crow
The plumage of the American Crow is vividly colored. This is one of the most frequent birds in the area, and it can be spotted almost anywhere.
These birds are regularly seen mating on trees alongside highways or even in people’s backyards, according to birdwatchers.
Flower nectar is a rare exception to their diet of tree and plant roots. They are one of the most active bird species, meaning they are always looking for fresh food.
- Attract Them: You can attract more American Crows to your backyard in West Virginia by scattering peanuts.
Song Sparrow
The song sparrow is a little bird that is endemic to North America. It is without a doubt one of the most abundant, diversified, and adaptable native bird species in the United States.
It’s incredible to consider that if this majestic bird chooses to make our backyard home, we may be the first to witness it. Tree bark, rocks, logs, and even steep rocky outcrops are among their preferred habitats.
- Attract Them: To attract more song sparrows to your backyard feeders in West Virginia, use black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and nyjer on platform feeders.
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse are similar to chickadees, except instead of a black bib, they have a crest.
They are little birds, but a gigantic titmouse; they are larger than chickadees and the size of a junco or House Finch. With a large and full tail, a massive head, and long legs, the body is rounded.
They have a whitish bottom and a dark blue-gray top. The black feathers around the eye emphasize its size.
Parks and heavily wooded deciduous woodlands are good places to look for them. With roots in the eastern and southeastern United States, their distribution is extending northward and westward.
- Attract Them: Tufted Titmice will come to your backyard feeders in West Virginia if you put sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts in tube feeders or suet cages.
Mourning Dove
The Columbidae family of birds includes the mourning dove. The mourning bird has been given several names, including rain dove, marsh dove, turtle dove, and, most popularly, mourning dove.
In the Southeast, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, California, and Ontario, Canada, it is now popular. Large cities, meadows, farm areas, parks, resorts, and even residential neighborhoods are all visited.
- Attract Them: By distributing millet on the ground or using platform feeders, you may attract more Mourning Doves to your yard. They love to eat black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, and peanut hearts, among other things.
American Goldfinch
The goldfinch, sometimes known as the black-throated goldfinch, is a charming little bird. Each year, they have been known to travel considerable distances, with some traveling 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 mention a few habitats. They enjoy spruce and oak trees and live near creeks, rivers, and streams.
- Attract Them: To attract American Goldfinches you can plant milkweed and thistles in your backyard. Nyjer and Sunflower seed are their favorite foods, and they are drawn to most bird feeders
Carolina Wren
The Carolina Wren is a little bird that resembles an American Goldfinch or a House Finch in size. Aspherical body, a short neck, a flat head, and a flapping tail distinguish them.
Their upper body is reddish-brown, while their wings and tail have black bands. A buff underbelly and a white brow line.
They may be found in forested or highly overgrown regions and are prevalent in backyard feeders.
- Attract Them: To attract more Carolina Wrens to your backyard feeders in West Virginia, use suet feeders, hulled sunflower seeds, or peanut hearts in big tube feeders or on platform feeders.
Downy Woodpecker
In a high, difficult-to-reach tree, the downy woodpecker can often 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, whereas females do not.
- Attract Them: Downy Woodpeckers like suet feeders, although platform feeders provide them black oil sunflower seeds, millet, and peanuts as well.
Red-bellied Woodpecke
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are massive for a backyard bird. They resemble a Starling or an American Robin in size. The Northern Flicker is a smaller version of the Northern Flicker.
He has a massive head and a short tail, and he is hefty and stocky. They cling to tree trunks with their short stiff tails and sturdy short legs.
Their backs and wings have a few black-and-white stripes, and their bodies are pale grey. Males have a protruding crimson nape from their crown.
- Attract Them: Suet feeders will bring in more Red-bellied Woodpeckers, who will occasionally feed on hummingbird feeders.
House Sparrow
Another imported species that has thrived and is now one of the most frequent birds is the House Sparrow.
They’re common around homes and buildings, and they’re extremely docile, so they’ll eat right out of your hand. They can easily be found in backyards even if you do not feed them.
- Attract Them: Most types of birdseed, such as millet, maize, and sunflower seeds, will attract more House Sparrows to your backyard feeders in West Virginia.
Red-winged Blackbird
The all-black plumage of the red-winged blackbird is distinguished by brilliant red and yellow shoulder patches. In comparison to the streaky brown coloration of the males, the women are drab.
Males will fiercely guard their area during mating season, even fighting anyone who approaches nests too close.
During the winter, they congregate in enormous flocks that number in the millions. Red-winged Blackbirds may be found in the United States.
- Attract Them: Scatter mixed grain and seeds on the ground to attract more Red-winged blackbirds to your yard. Large tube and platform feed will also be employed.
Carolina Chickadee
Chickadees are little birds that have a distinctive black crest and bib. Their underbodies are bulbous, and their cheeks are completely white. Their backs and wings are dark greys in color.
They’re frequent on bird feeders and may be observed flying from one feeder to the next in search of food.
- Attract Them: To attract more Carolina Chickadees to your backyard feeders, try using black oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer seeds, suet feeders, or peanuts. Tube feeders, suet cages, and platform feeders are all good options for feeding them. They’ll make their nests in nest boxes or tubes as well.
European Starling
European Starlings may be identified by their purple-green plumage when examined closely. This covers their entire body, but their long, straight yellow bills are another distinguishing feature.
In the winter, they shed their gleaming plumage and replace it with a brown coat flecked with white patches.
The wingspans of these birds range from 12.2 to 15.8 inches from wingtip to wingtip, while their lengths are between 7.9 and 9.1 inches.
This kind of bird may be found almost anywhere. Whether on a farm, in a town, or in a metropolis, they enjoy human-made habitats.
- Attract Them: These birds consume a diverse range of foods. They eat berries, seeds, cereals, and other things when they aren’t consuming insects. Grains are a fantastic alternative. You can use these to attract them to your backyard.
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Towhees are big sparrows with black backs and breasts, brown sides, and white bellies in males and brown backs and bellies in females.
They breed in the Northeast before moving south, although they will stay in the Southeast all year.
If you’re seeking seeds or insects in dense undergrowth at the margins of woodlands, you’ll have to look down to discover this bird. They are generally lonely and secluded, making them difficult to find.
- Attract Them: Eastern Towees may come out to gather dropped seeds from feeders if they visit or dwell in backyards with overgrown borders.
White-breasted Nuthatch
They’re common in deciduous forests, woodland borders, parks, and tree-lined 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 open with their bills after wedging them into the bark of trees.
- Attract Them: Additional White-breasted Nuthatches may be attracted to suet or tube feeders with sunflower seeds and peanuts.
House Finch
It was once only found in the western United States, but now it can be found all across the country. Although there are several varieties of red finches, house finches are the most common in urban settings.
From beak tip to tail tip, the House Finch is around 6 inches long. He has a medium physique and a notched tail that is medium in length. Conical in shape. The head, breast, and back of males are all blood-red.
On wires, tree limbs, and plants, small flocks can be spotted. Deserts and grasslands used to be found in these places. They’re most common in both rural and urban areas at the moment.
- Attract Them: House Finches can be attracted to backyard feeders by using black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube or platform feeders.
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebirds breed in the northern United States and Canada before migrating south.
In males, they are a tiny thrush with a vivid blue head and back and rusty red below. Females are whitish on top, with bluish wings and tails and an orange-brown underside.
They can be seen feeding on insects in open areas or perched on power lines and fences.
Pileated Woodpecker
The pileated woodpecker is a North American giant. They are difficult to miss since, in addition to their massive size, they have a large red plume on top of their heads.
Look at the form of the holes to see whether they’re from a pileated woodpecker. You have a pileated woodpecker nearby if they’re rectangular.
As a huge hole is necessary to house such a massive bird, their homes are readily evident.
They also eat fruits and berries, and despite their size, they can readily balance on little vines and bushes.
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