South Carolina Birds: Common Birds in South Carolina (SC)

Last Updated on February 28, 2022 by Lily Aldrin

South Carolina boasts a diverse range of bird species and a beautiful landscape that ranges from the coastal plains towards the mountain ranges. It is home to around 482 different bird species.

In South Carolina, the Northern Cardinal is a frequent bird, whereas the Baltimore oriole is a rarer variety. South Carolina comes with a number of species with all these three states. It’s no surprise that South Carolina has one of the best bird populations in the nation.

Birds such as the blue heron and many warblers may be found in the state’s eastern or central regions. The most frequent birds in South Carolina will be enlisted and discussed in this article.

Image	Name
	Eastern Bluebird
	White-breasted Nuthatch
	Northern Cardinal
	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
	Red-bellied Woodpecker
	Carolina Chickadee
	Mourning Dove
	Yellow-Rumped Warbler
	Song Sparrow
	Chipping Sparrow
	House Finch
	American Robin
	Summer Tanager
	Northern Mockingbird
	Red-winged Blackbird
	Tree Swallow
	Boat-tailed Grackle
	Pine Warbler
	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

1. Eastern Bluebird

This little South American bird is also recognized as the Eastern Bluebird in the eastern United States. The Eastern Bluebird’s territory extends from eastern Canada to northern Mexico. They are most commonly seen in deciduous woodlands and agricultural areas.

Food

In the summertime, they eat mostly insects, but if fruits are accessible in the wintertime, they can eat them. Their demographic changes differ depending on wherever they live; some go southward to hotter areas throughout the wintertime, while the others remain in one location throughout the year.

Tiny fruits, nuts, grains, and larvae make up the majority of its food. Bugs and insects are the main sources of nutrition for the adult Eastern Bluebird.

Color

The Eastern Bluebirds possess blue wings, crowns, and anterior parts, which are its most distinguishing features. Its neck is adorned with an orange-brown collar. Its belly is whitish and plump, and its tail appears blue.

The main distinction between a male and female Eastern Bluebird is their color, which is blue for males and brownish-pale for females.

Length & Weight

It has a total length of 16 to 21 centimeters (6.3 8.3 inches), a wingspan of 25 to 32 centimeters (9.8 to 12.6 inches), and a weight of around 27 to 34 grams.

2. White-breasted Nuthatch

The White-breasted Nuthatches could be located throughout southern Canada and Central America. They may be found in both coniferous & deciduous forests, with several preferring moderate climates in the North or tropical climates in the South.

These birds migrate southward for the wintertime but back north as quickly as temperatures warm. Some populations spend the entire year in their breeding grounds. Throughout the wintertime, whenever food is limited, they move to the south of the United States, Central as well as Southern America.

Length & Weight

White-breasted Nuthatches reach an overall length of 14 centimeters (5.5 in) and a peak wingspan of 27 centimeters (nearly 10 inches). Its bodyweight varies from 17-28 grams. Males and females have slightly varied body shapes and back colors. Based on the circumstances, they may create a variety of tunes.

Food

They usually stop by the bird feeders in search of food. Bugs and seeds from tiny plants and bushes are their main sources of food. They also consume and preserve the nuts of various plants in tree trunks, including hickory, which they devour throughout the cold season.

3. Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal is a tiny red avian found in eastern South America. They like semi-open areas with dense undergrowth, such as forest edges heathland, as well as other semi-open areas with dense bushland. Bugs and pollen from various plants, such as wildflowers and cereals, are consumed.

Cardinals go south to warmer climates in the winter, but if there is sufficient nourishment, they will remain in the north. The range of the Northern Cardinal extends from South Carolina to Illinois, crossing via Kentucky.

Length & Weight

A Northern Cardinal’s overall length may range somewhere from 2 to 23.5 centimeters (8.3 to 9.3 inches), while its wingspan is around 25 to 31 centimeters (9.8 to 12.2 inches). They are around 33.6 to 65 grams in weight.

Food

The Northern Cardinal possesses a reddish beak and crimson feathers with several black and white markings. Northern Cardinals enjoy eating tiny insects such as spiders and worms. Squashed nuts, little seeds of various herbs, and the fruits of various smaller trees and plants are also among their preferred food.

4. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which is alternatively called Sphyrapicus varius, is a tiny woodpecker that may be found in the North and Eastern United States.

Color

Its name comes from its yellow belly and the fact that they feed on sap. In comparison to females, male Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are extra white and have more lustrous colors.

The feather coat of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is reddish, whitish, and black. Its upper parts, wings, and stomach are composed of black and white stripes, while its stomach and chest are white. The bird’s neck and head are totally crimson.

Length & Weight

A fully grown Yellow-bellied Sapsucker’s overall length ranges from 19 -21 centimeters (7.5-8.3 inches), with a wingspan of around 13.4 to 15.8 inches (34-40 centimeters). A fully grown Yellow-bellied Sapsucker may weigh anywhere from 35-62 g.

Food

This bird feeds on the land and on the branches of various trees. They devour tiny bugs and invertebrates. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker also feeds on tree sap, nuts, and fruits from a variety of plants. These birds don’t go to the bird feeders very often.

5. Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied woodpeckers are a kind of bird found in South America. Except for certain hilly locations, it may be located all throughout South America. The primary habitat of this species is deciduous woodlands, although it may also be found in playgrounds, country clubs, and private yards.

Food

Most of their diet is comprised of wasps, ants, moths, beetle caterpillars, as well as other insectivores. Red-bellied Woodpeckers migrate to avoid the cold throughout the winter months and return once the weather gets warmer.

Length & Weight

This little bird has a pleasant high-pitched voice that it employs to entice females for breeding. Males are somewhat larger and bulkier compared to females, weighing roughly 73 grams on average compared to 65 grams for females. In addition, males have a somewhat larger wingspan than females.

6. Carolina Chickadee

The Carolina Chickadee is a little bird found on the eastern coast of South America. It might well be located from Canada to northern Mexico, even though in the east of the United States, it prefers deciduous woodlands, notably in southern Ontario and Michigan.

Food

The Carolina Chickadee eats ants, beetles, caterpillars, and spiders, among other small invertebrates. Cherries, strawberries, and berries are among the fruits ingested. They migrate from South to Central America in the winter.

7. Mourning Dove

The mourning dove is a common sight in South America. It begins its life cycle in eastern South America, then migrates west to central Texas, and South to Mexico, then Colombia. They generally live in the United States as regular migrants.

Habitat & Food

This bird prefers wetlands and wet meadows with damp soil, where it feasts on invertebrates, bugs, crabs, and seeds.

Their migration patterns are influenced by their breeding territories; northern breeders may migrate south for the winter, whilst southern breeders may stay in their breeding region all year.

8. Yellow-Rumped Warbler

The Yellow-Rumped Warbler is a South American migrant bird Species. They’re common and have a diverse variety of characteristics. Although the bulk of these birds migrates to the coasts of Central America for the winter, some stay in Canada’s northern regions all year.

Habitat & Food

These birds are most common in eastern South America, where they live among evergreens or other highly vegetated environments like bogs, marshes, and meadows. They consume flies, mosquitoes, and ants, but they will also eat fruits from shrubs and plants if they can find them.

9. Song Sparrow

A little brown sparrow with pronounced head stripes, the Song Bird is a small brown sparrow. From Alaska through Nova Scotia and farther west to Texas, where it is recognized as the Song Sparrow, this bird may be found.

Habitat & Food

They like rural settings or farms with meadows, brushy places, or hedgerows in the summertime, and woodlands with shrubs and large trees for protection in the winter. They consume insects largely throughout the summer and mostly seeds during the wintertime.

10. Chipping Sparrow

The Chipping Bird is a widespread and frequent sparrow in South Carolina. Chipping sparrows may be found in southern Canada, the United States, Mexico, South America, and also the Caribbean.

Food

Larvae, insects, and sow seeds, among other invertebrates, are eaten by the Chipping Sparrow. They move south in late winter, across Texas and into Mexico and Central America, before returning north in March or April.

11. House Finch

House Finches could be located all throughout southern America, including north of the Arctic Circle. They can be located all the way back down to Panama, although their numbers are minimal outside of Arizona and New Mexico. Between Kansas as well as South Carolina, they have the great bulk of the inhabitants.

Food

The House Finch mostly lives close to human settlements since it can provide food for its diet, which consists primarily of seeds of weeds or grasslands but occasionally includes insects and fruit. Although migratory groups go south for the winter, House Finches can be spotted all year.

12. American Robin

The American Robin is indeed a migrating songbird that may be spotted in eastern South America and eastern Ontario. Mexico is home to a high number of birds throughout the winter. This bird may indeed be found throughout Maine through Florida and all the way to Texas in eastern South America.

Habitat & Food

Woodland edges and meadows, as well as open forest, are their principal habitat during the migratory season. Year-round, robins feed on bugs and fruit. They devour them as well in the summertime when spiders or snails are in plenty.

13. Summer Tanager

Summer Tanagers are medium-sized North American songbirds. The Cardinalidae family of birds includes Summer Tanagers.

Color

The colors of the male or female plumage are distinct. The males have a reddish-brown plumage that is gleaming. Above the forehead, they wear a crown. Females are generally brownish in hue and have dull coloring.

They also lack a crest. The male and female Summer Tanagers share similar plumage. This type of adult has a rose-red coloration. The bottoms of adult females are orange, with olive-grey upper parts.

Length & Weight

An adult guy has a longer body than an adult female. A mature Summer Tanager has a body length of up to 17 centimeters and a wingspan of almost 28 to 30 centimeters. A mature Summer Tanager may weigh up to 29 grams.

Habitat & Food

The Summer Tanager is a North American bird that nests in open wooded regions. They consume largely tiny insects and worms. On the other hand, this bird consumes little seeds and grains from crops like wheat. They also consume various fruits and berries. They catch and consume tiny animals.

14. Northern Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird is North America’s sole mockingbird type. This species lives in the northern states year-round and does not relocate. They frequent in back gardens of bird feeders in order to obtain food. The bird has longer legs and a longer tail than many other birds of its size.

The male Northern Mockingbird has the same feathers color as the females, as well as a comparable size, shape, and wingspan. Males are larger than females. Their long tail and wings have black feathers as well.

Food

Northern Mockingbirds have a lifespan of up to 20 yrs. They attend bird feeders in various locations. Tiny cereals, grasses grains, grapes, raspberries, larvae, and pollinating creatures are all favorites of the Northern Mockingbird.

15. Red-winged Blackbird

Color

The black plumage and crimson wings of the Red-winged Blackbird help to identify it. Females have a distinct hue of the body plumage. Their plumage is a blend of black, brown, and red hues.

The Red-winged Blackbird may be found in nearly every Northern state. The bird’s plumage is all black, with a brilliant red patch on its wings. When exposed to light, they have a gleaming black tone that takes on a blue hue.

Male and female blackbirds are distinct from each other in body size, plumage color, and weight. Males have a larger body size, brighter plumage color, and greater weight than females. The male or female are easily distinguishable and distinguishable.

Food

Worms, tiny insects such as spiders, and several other insect larvae are favorites of the Red-winged Blackbird. They also consume the seeds, broken nuts, or fruits of many trees as well as shrubs.

16. Tree Swallow

The Tree Swallow is a tiny North American bird notable for its tree-chipping behavior. It is a member of the Tachycineta genus, which contains only nine closely related bird species. The Tree Swallow has blue and white plumage and is a lovely bird.

Color

The Tree Swallow’s plumage is divided into two colors: its entire back and wings are a gleaming blue hue, while its belly and underparts are completely white. The bird’s eyes, as well as its tail, are blackish in color.

The hues of the male and female plumage vary. Male Tree Swallows have a shinier, whiter plumage than females, which is brownish and white. Females are smaller than males in terms of body size, weight, and wingspan.

Food

Small seeds or nuts, as well as cherries and berries, are favorites of theirs. Small insects & larvae, as well as insect larvae, are eaten by the Tree Swallow.

17. Boat-tailed Grackle

The Boat-tailed Grackle is a moderate bird that belongs to the Icteridae species. The Boat-tailed Grackle is similar to the ordinary grackle except for its tail, which is somewhat different.

Color

They have a huge boat-shaped tail instead of a little one. To prevent predation, they construct secret nests deep in the forests. Males of this species have just a shiny black-colored plumage, which differentiates them from females.

The female, on the other hand, has a color combination of black and brown. These birds have anterior parts and wings that are drab black in color, whereas the bottom and breasts are of brown color. The male’s wings, which gleam in the sunshine, also emanate a blue glow.

Food

The female bird is somewhat smaller and lighter than the male. Tiny flies, insects, worms, eels, smaller frogs, embryos, certain small berries, shrub and plant spores, even grain are all eaten by the Boat-tailed Grackle.

Other tiny birds are also eaten by the Boat-tailed Grackle. They wait for them to take flight before hunting them down in mid-air. They also acquire their food from the bird feeders.

18. Pine Warbler

The Pine Warbler is a little new world warbler of the Parulidae family. This songbird is recognized for its lovely song, which seeks to persuade females and converse with others.

Color

This bird’s plumage includes a white belly and white wings bars. They do have a longer beak for foraging on the soil and in pine trees.

Adult Pine Warblers have a full olive-yellow plumage, with olive-yellow hues on their breasts and upper parts. Females and juvenile Pine Warblers have a body-color that differs somewhat from males. Their breasts and necks are somewhat pale.

Food

Small bugs, pollen, grain, or pines nuts are all eaten by the Pine Warbler. To search for nourishment, they graze on nearby trees and the soil. They dwell in the forests and only come to the bird feeders’ backyards for food on rare occasions.

19. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a tiny songbird that may be found in the eastern and southern United States as well as Mexico. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a member of the Polioptilidae family of birds.

Color

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is distinguished by its blue-gray plumage that covers nearly the whole body. This bird is similar in appearance and size to the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, but they lack black tails and are separate species.

The gray-blue The entire body of the gnatcatcher bird is covered with blue and grey feathers. The upper side is black, with darker upper parts, while the bottom is grey. Instead of blue-grey, their tummy and breasts seem gray-white.

Habitat & Food

They prefer to reside in the shrubs and tiny trees near water bodies. Larvae, moths, wasps, as well as other tiny invertebrates, are favorite foods of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher bird. This bird prefers eating eggs and babies of certain insects as well.

These birds likewise enjoy eating tiny-sized seeds and fruits of various plants. They also consume berries and a variety of nuts.

Conclusion

We spent considerable time investigating the Southern Caroline bird habitat for this article. There are numerous bird varieties in this region that will excite and thrill you throughout your stay in the state. Just remember to restock those feeders, and a warmed birdbath is indeed a good idea because winters may be terrible.

FAQ

What is the easiest way to identify a bird in your yard?

Using a fair observational method that considers the bird’s activity, voice, appearance, and field markings is the best approach to identifying backyard birds. It can also help you identify the most common garden birds in the region.

In South Carolina, which are the small bluebirds?

Bluebirds are among South Carolina’s greatest renowned species, and they’ve piqued the public’s curiosity for a lot longer. These little birds belong to the thrush family and are recognized by their striking blue coloring.

Are Golden Eagles found in South Carolina?

As per the NC Wildlife Resources Council, Southern Appalachia might be a significant wintering home for Golden Eagles.

Whenever a Mockingbird pays you a visit in South Carolina, what would it presume?

Self-expression is by far the most popular explanation of a mockingbird premonition. If you’ve seen these birds a lot recently, it’s possible that you’re not expressing yourself well sufficient.

Are robins found in South Carolina?

As per Expert, the number in South Carolina grows during the arrival of fall & winters, when robins migrate in from northern states as well as Ontario, occasionally on their route to Miami as well as the Arab Nations. You can also have large groups of them dispersed throughout the coastal strip.

Can Mockingbirds be found in South Carolina?

Mockingbirds may be located all across the US. These happen all year in South Carolina. They’re slender grey birds with a tiny beak, long tail, with bright wings spots that sparkle as they fly, well about the length of an American robin. Couples build their nests in bushes or lower tree limbs.