Last Updated on February 20, 2022 by Lily Aldrin
Indiana is a wonderful place for Birdwatching and provides a habitat for a variety of birds that you may have or haven’t seen before. It’s impossible to estimate the number of bird species in North America, the United States, or even Indiana.
Indiana, on the other hand, is home to at least 422 bird species, according to some authorities. According to one source, there are 2,059 species in North America, whereas the older source claims there are just 914. These data give you an idea of how many different bird species there are in Indiana.
Without further ado, let’s talk about Indiana’s most prevalent backyard birds.
| Image | Name |
|---|---|
 | American Robin |
 | Indigo Bunting |
 | Eastern Wood-Pewee |
 | Brown Thrasher |
 | Chipping Sparrow |
 | Eastern Kingbird |
 | Northern Flicker |
 | Snow Bunting |
 | American Tree Sparrow |
 | Cedar Waxwing |
 | Carolina Chickadee |
 | Purple Finch |
 | Mourning Dove |
 | White-breasted Nuthatch |
 | Downy Woodpecker |
 | House Sparrow |
 | Tufted Titmouse |
Table of Contents
- 1. American Robin
- 2. Indigo Bunting
- 3. Eastern Wood-Pewee
- 4. Brown Thrasher
- 5. Chipping Sparrow
- 6. Eastern Kingbird
- 7. Northern Flicker
- 8. Snow Bunting
- 9. American Tree Sparrow
- 10. Cedar Waxwing
- 11. Carolina Chickadee
- 12. Purple Finch
- 13. Mourning Dove
- 14. White-breasted Nuthatch
- 15. Downy Woodpecker
- 16. House Sparrow
- 17. Tufted Titmouse
- FAQ
1. American Robin
The American Robin is a brightly colored Indiana native. This bird has grey and brown wings and a bright orange belly, with a white patch just under the tail that is easy to spot in flight.
Color
This bird has a graying-black head with a small white ring around the eye, with females being somewhat lighter in color. These birds have small and curled yellow beaks.
Length
These birds range in length from 7.9 to 11 inches and have wingspans ranging from 12.2 to 15.8 inches.
Habitat
These birds may be seen in a variety of places, including deciduous trees, pastures, and even bouncing around in the snow in your own yard. These birds are quite gregarious and do not mind living in the suburbs.
Food
American Robins eat a variety of foods, including peanut pieces, raisins, diced apples, suet, and sunflower seeds. They are pleasant and simple to please, even when you indicate that mealworms are their preference.
2. Indigo Bunting
Color
These magnificent beauties, often known informally as ‘blue canaries,’ are a vivid azure blue all over their bodies, with some tiny grey accents in their wings. The hue deepens on the face, and this bird has a silver beak. Females appear extremely different.
They are dark with white streaking on their necks and streaking on their breasts. These are really something to behold and will stay with you.
Length
These are little birds, averaging 4.7 – 5.1 inches long with wingspans ranging from 7.5 to 8.7 inches.
Habitat
Look along the forest’s border, particularly where the shrubbery thickens, as you could catch a sight of them foraging in the wild.
Food
Mealworms, Nyjer seeds, and thistle are excellent food sources for these tiny fellows.
3. Eastern Wood-Pewee
Color
Such birds are olive-gray in color, with darker wings than the rest of their bodies. They have a yellowish or creamy breast and underbelly that darkens somewhat towards the sides. These birds have long, pointed beaks that are usually orange on the underside. The contrast between grey and black makes their eyes look larger.
Length
These birds are about the size of a Sparrow, being around 5.9 inches long and having a wingspan of 9.1 to 10.2 inches.
Habitat
These birds are most commonly spotted in parks or wooded areas, but if you have a lot of trees in your backyard and hear a distinctive pee-a-wee call, keep a watch out.
Food
They are unique enough to be identified at a glance. These birds consume flies; you won’t be able to attract them to your feeder if you have a woodlot or if you capture the occasional stray Peewee during the breeding season.
4. Brown Thrasher
Color
Brown Thrashers have rich brown wings and backs, with black and white wing bars that complement the hue. Their breast and lower belly portions are white with a strong brown streaking, which makes you question how they can conceal so successfully in the first place.
These birds have brown and grey feathers on their faces. When this is combined with their brilliant yellow eyes and long, pointed black bills, you have a formidable-looking and gorgeous Songbird.
Length
These Songbirds range in size from 9.1 to 11.8 inches, with wingspans ranging from 11.4 to 12.6 inches.
Habitat
These birds like singing amid the trees at the forest’s edge or just in the woods, as well as heavy vegetation like shrubberies, where they may safely feed behind its protective cover.
Food
These birds can be coaxed out of their protected cover for feeder nibbles, but they prefer thick berry bushes in your yard. They prefer suet, broken corn, peanuts, and sunflower seeds as feeder foods.
5. Chipping Sparrow
Color
The breast and belly of these birds are a combination of white and grey, and they have medium-sized grey tails. A white face with a grey patch behind the eye and a black stripe running from right behind the eye to the back of the neck distinguishes them. It has a rusty cap on top of its head and a tiny, straight black bill.
Length
These birds range in size from 4.7 to 5.9 inches in length, with an average wingspan of 8.3 inches.
Habitat
These birds are mostly found in woodlands, fields, and parks, these birds will happily visit your feeder if you’ve loaded it with foods they enjoy.
Food
They prefer insects but will also eat seeds. Filling your feeder with Nyjer seed, Black Oil sunflower seed, millet, and mealworms might attract this bird.
6. Eastern Kingbird
Color
The Eastern Kingbird appears to be a sassy bird. The wings of this bird are gray-black, and the tail is tipped in a fashionable white. The breast and belly are all white, and the impression is perfectly completed by the bird’s head. First, the white from the breast spreads to the face, where it comes to a halt beneath its straight, pointed black bill.
Second, its face is mostly black, and it’s a darker shade of black than its wings. It looks like a small bird dressed up in a suit!
Length
This bird measures 7.5–9.1 inches in length and has a 13–15 inch wingspan. These birds spend the winter in South America; they prefer to visit a variety of locales.
Habitat
They can be found in fields, woodland margins, and even marshlands.
Food
Such as the Eastern Wood Peewee, this bird is a flycatcher, but it also eats a variety of other foods. Berry plants in your yard, especially if you have a lot of trees, may tempt them.
7. Northern Flicker
Color
They feature grey wings with black patterning and white breasts with black spotting, as well as a broad black necklace stripe. This bird is distinguished from the Eastern variety by the presence of yellow at the tail ends, whilst the Western has a red tail-tip.
Their crowns are blue and grey, with tan cheeks and a red spot on the back of the neck. Males have a mustache mark on their long, thin bills that reach back.
Length
The Northern Flicker is a medium-sized bird, measuring 11–12.2 inches from tip to tail and with a wingspan of 16.5–20 inches.
Habitat
These birds are commonly seen in parks, backyards, and at the border of forests.
Food
They like to search for insects on the ground, so gaze down rather than above. You might be able to attract a Northern Flicker to your suet feeder if it supports an enlarged tail tip.
8. Snow Bunting
Color
These stunning birds are quite easy to recognize, however, there will be differences depending on their gender and whether or not they are breeding. Males are totally white except for their black backs. Females, on the other hand, will have brown streaks evident on their back and the rest of their body will be the same white as the male.
Outside of the breeding season, females will have rusty-red spots on their faces and breasts, while males will have rusty patches on their breasts, a unique reddish ‘ear spot,’ and a rusted crown.
Length
The Snow Bunting has a wingspan of 11.8 inches and measures 5.9 inches from tip to tail.
Habitat
These birds prefer grasslands and are lured to water. Considering their protection, they choose to nest in rocky locations.
Food
Mealworms are the preferred food of these birds, although they also enjoy Nyjer seed and Thistle.
9. American Tree Sparrow
Color
These birds have grey wings with heavy brown streaks and white accents on the shoulder. The breast is often a light grey or brown hue, with a black blotch, while the underside is slightly lighter in color.
With grey heads, rust-colored caps, and a rust’ mask’ enclosing the eye and extending almost to the end of the neck, these birds have long tails and very unusual facial coloration. They have short, muscular beaks that are half yellow and half grey or black.
Length
With wingspans of roughly 9.4 inches and an average length of 5.5 inches, these birds are petite.
Habitat
These birds like woodland edges, bushes, and fields, and they are occasionally drawn to water. They enjoy visiting feeders as well, but they prefer to go in small groups.
Food
Mealworms and dried berries are the keys to these birds’ hearts, so stock up and watch who shows up.
10. Cedar Waxwing
Color
Spotting these birds is a tremendous treat. The Cedar Waxwing has highly striking markings, including grey wings with little red points and grey tails with yellow ends. The underbelly has a faint but noticeable yellow tint, but the chest and head are dark browns.
The brown coloring on the face is almost like a lion’s mane, and the image is completed by a lovely mask nicely defined in white. Their beaks are short, dark, and thick.
Length
Cedar Waxwings range in size from 5.5 to 6.7 inches in length, with wingspans ranging from 8.7 to 11.8 inches.
Habitat
These birds prefer Evergreen trees and are fascinated by water.
Food
They are extremely fond of fruit-filled gardens, so if you have one, you may encounter one of these magnificent birds. Fruits are an excellent method to attract a Waxwing to your feeder, but you must also make the bird feel secure.
They are rather timid, so leave out a variety of sliced apples, grapes, and raisins if you’ve noticed one close and want to host as a guest.
11. Carolina Chickadee
Color
It’s a lovely tiny bird having light grey wings with the grey darkening down the wings and all the way to its tail. Their underbelly and breasts are a gorgeous powder white that reaches all the way to the base of the throat.
This bird has a big black cap that spans over the entire face, level with the center of its eye. The bird is white below until the area under its bill when the black on its throat curls down to provide a lovely impression.
Length
The Carolina Chickadee is a little bird with a wingspan of 5.9 to 7.9 inches and a length of 3.9 to 4.7 inches.
Habitat
These birds can be found in forests, parks, and even backyards.
Food
Suet, crushed peanuts, and Black Oil sunflower seeds are an excellent combination for luring these delicate creatures.
12. Purple Finch
Color
Every now and then, you get a visit from a genuine beauty, and the Purple Finch is one of them. Males have dark brown and raspberry-streaked wings, and their white breasts are lighter raspberry-streaked.
Their faces are raspberry-red, with a lighter-colored eye stripe and a black line visible on their necks. Their beaks are powerful and bright, with a little black accent on occasion. Females lack the red color but have the same patterns, but in a lighter brown to tan hue.
Habitat
These birds prefer coniferous woods, although they also like bushes, pastures, and even backyards.
Food
If you have a garden with berry vines, this is one technique to attract a Purple Finch. If you don’t have any, these birds love Black Oil Sunflower seeds and will gladly eat from your feeder if you leave some out for them.
13. Mourning Dove
Color
Mourning Doves have a tan over extremely light brown, occasionally with grey mix coloration all over their body. As one may observe, it’s a delicate mix, with some distinguishing features like the wings being darker than the breast, underside, and head, and this Dove having spots on its wings and white tips on its tiny tail. They have delicate black bills that are quite little and delicate.
Length
The Mourning Dove has a wingspan of roughly 17.7 inches and a body length of 9.1 – 13.4 inches.
Habitat
These birds like to build their nests in Evergreen trees or dense shrubbery, but you’ll often see them hopping around on the ground or on a telephone pole scouting the area before eating.
Food
For optimal results to gather these birds, scatter some seeds around your feeder. If you don’t like the ground technique, try millet or sunflower seeds.
You can also grab their attention by feeding hangers if you don’t like millet or sunflower seeds.
14. White-breasted Nuthatch
Color
These birds have blue and grey wings and tails with black accents, as well as a white breast and underbelly. The underbelly is typically patterned with a distinctive brown pattern, while the underside of the tail is white.
These birds have a white face and neck, as well as some white on the underside of the bill, which is black at the tip and connects to a grey or black cap that extends all the way back to the wings. The bill is long and straight, with a faint black line going from the back of the eye and gradually decreasing in colors as it approaches the cap.
Length
These birds are about the size of a sparrow, measuring 5.1 – 5.5 inches long with wingspans ranging from 7.9 to 10.6 inches.
Habitat
They are frequent visitors to the woods and woodland edges, and they are particularly fond of Oak trees and their delectable acorns.
Food
Suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts will assist to entice the White-breasted Nuthatch to pay you a visit, and if you’re lucky, they could become return visitors.
15. Downy Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are popular among birdwatchers for good reason. They are rarely bashful and appear to be well-educated. One of them is the cute Downy Woodpecker.
Color
These tiny fellows have black wings with white patterning, giving them a striking checkered appearance that catches your eye.
They feature a large white stripe across their back, as well as a solid white breast and underbelly. They have concentrated faces, with white faces and a mustache line running from the bill, as well as a black mask that reaches to the back of the neck.
A black center stripe runs across the top of the head, terminating in a gorgeous red patch on the males and white on the females. These birds have a short black beak and short black tails with white undersides, giving them a gorgeous look.
Length
The Downy is a tiny Woodpecker, measuring 5.5 – 6.7 inches in length and 9.8 to 11.8 inches in wingspan.
Habitat
They love deciduous forests, although they may also be found in parks and backyards with a few trees for companionship.
Food
Peanuts and peanut butter, as well as Black Oil Sunflower seeds, are a good way to tempt these small creatures.
16. House Sparrow
Color
House Sparrows, like many other birds, show color variations between sexes. House Sparrows feature brown and black wing striping on both males and females, although males have a more colorful overall color.
Their breast and underside are grey and white, with a unique black bib that runs facially up till the lower bill, and white cheeks that contrast starkly. Apart from the checks, their heads are mostly a lovely brown with a scattering of grey on top. It’s a lovely contrast.
Females are predominantly brown, with grey and brown patches on their breasts and underbelly. These birds have robust, slightly curved black beaks and perky tails.
Length
These birds are 5.9 – 6.7 inches in length and have wingspans ranging from 7.5 to 9.8 inches in length.
Habitat
They are usually found around buildings and will cheerfully visit your garden or feeder for tasty nibbles.
Food
These birds eat a variety of seeds. Simply adding sunflower seeds and maize would be enough, however, these birds will most likely visit even if you do not have a feeder. They are at ease in our surroundings, making these lovely tiny birds simple to see if you look.
17. Tufted Titmouse
Color
The Tufted Titmouse is a lovely little bird that proves that color does not have to be complicated to be appealing. Their wings are a light blue-grey that contrasts beautifully with the white breast and lower belly, which has some peach coloration splashed in at the belly area.
With one exception, they have a little blue crest that extends to the rear of the neck and frames the rest of the white face. This bird has a noticeable black patch on its thin, curved beak, as well as large, black eyes.
Length
This bird is 5.5 – 6.3 inches long with a wingspan of 7.9 to 10.2 inches.
Habitat
These birds enjoy evergreen woodlands, but they are also at home in the suburbs, visiting backyard feeders and gardens with gusto.
Food
These birds prefer Suet, however, Black Oil sunflower seeds are a favorite that they will happily sup and munch on.
Conclusion
These are the most common birds in Indiana, and they may visit your lawn or feeders. These are the species that appear the most commonly on the bird region checklist. And the data is a combination of species most commonly sighted in Indiana during the summer (June and July), winter (December and January), and all year.
The birds that visit Indiana backyards fluctuate throughout the year. The article indicates the most frequent backyard birds in Indiana at various times of the year, as noted in ebird.org checklists.
FAQ
How many different kinds of birds can you find in Indiana?
In Indiana, over 413 bird species have been discovered, with over 260 being sighted somewhere in the state each year. A diverse range of habitats supports an annual breeding population of around 180 species.
What is Indiana’s rarest bird?
Despite the fact that the easily identified Black-necked Stilt is very widespread in other West and Southwest states, it is the rarest bird species in Indiana.
What is Indiana’s biggest bird?
The osprey is the biggest bird that may be observed in Indiana on a regular basis. The osprey may be distinguished from the bald eagle by its brilliant yellow eyes and grey, black, and white under-feathers.
Can bird feeders be put up in Indiana?
Hoosiers from all counties can re-establish their bird feeders. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources made the declaration, despite the fact that the federal government has yet to identify the unknown virus that is killing songbirds across the country.
