Northeast Winter Birds: Identify Your Visitors

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Northeast Winter Birds: Identify Your Visitors

When living in the northeast, winter birds are a regular sight. And a regular sound, with all their screeches, caws, and coos! When you begin to notice these birds, either through your day-to-day observation or because you’ve put food out for them, you may wonder where they came from and what their names are. 

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had a lot of fun putting out food for the birds and watching them come eat at our backyard feeders. They’re always up to something interesting, and you never know who will show up next. 

After consulting bird books, bird identification apps, and various family birders, I’ve found the names and interesting facts about each of these common northeast winter birds. I will add to the list as I discover more. 

Blue Jays

Blue jays are frequent visitors to feeders, and they’re easy to spot with their beautiful blue feathers. They’re also some of the dorkiest birds to watch. Blue jays bounce around and squawk about everything, and make a huge mess of any birdseed you put out for them. They often shovel it out and right onto the ground with their large beaks. 

Despite their silliness, they are known to be fairly intelligent birds. They can imitate red-tailed hawks, eagles, owls, and other birds of prey to scare off other birds. (Of course, while they like to frighten other birds away, they also end up scaring themselves sometimes.) Since they enjoy acorns, they will often bury them for later, then go back and retrieve them. 

Even if you don’t have a feeder, they’re easy to spot. You’ll hear their loud, shrill calls, and if you look up in the trees you’ll most likely see the pretty flashes of blue darting around. 

Cardinals

Northern cardinals can be very difficult to attract. They like to stay hidden in small trees and other brush. Having a feeder near a bush or tree, or just having lots of hidden areas in your backyard, is key to bringing these lovely red birds in. (Here’s what cardinals eat in winter.)

Some believe that cardinals represent a sign from a loved one who has passed away. Others believe that seeing one is just a good omen in general. No matter your thoughts, they sure are wonderful to see! 

You can spot cardinal couples in the northeast during any season. Personally, I’ve seen more in the summer than winter, but they’re much easier to spot in the winter months when the males’ bright red plumage stands out! Even a female cardinal stands out against snow with its own touch of red.

Carolina Wrens

These rotund little guys don’t show up as often, but when they do it’s always interesting. Their bellies look too big for their bodies, but they hop around somehow. They like to hang out in the rafters of our porch.

These small birds are slowly making their way further north in the winter, possibly due to warming winter temperatures. They are sensitive to cold, and will often dwindle in population if they’re caught in an extra cold winter up north. 

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar waxwings are a common sight in the northeast year-round, especially if you have fruiting shrubs or trees in your backyard. These birds don’t like regular birdseed, so if you’d like to attract them, set out fruit or mealworms on a platform. Waxwings eat fruit whole, without breaking it into smaller pieces, so either provide small berries or cut apples and other large fruits into bite-size pieces for the most success. 

Chickadees

By far the most prevalent and friendly of the winter birds are the sweet little black-capped chickadees that flutter in to eat at feeders. They’re immediately identifiable by their black caps and white cheeks. They sing happy songs and pick up food, sometimes catching it between their toes to peck at it. (Here’s a guide to what chickadees eat.)

Did you know that their namesake “chick-a-dee-dee-dee!” call can mean many different things depending on how many “dees” are used? 

I’ve read that they can be trained to eat out of your hand. So far I haven’t had any success, but that could be because my young cousin was next to me announcing “Birdies! She has food for you!” 

Common Redpolls

Common redpolls are smaller birds that venture south to the northeast during winter. We pretty much live in their equivalent of Florida – during the breeding season, they live in the northern reaches of Canada and Alaska, bordering on the Arctic Circle! 

These birds enjoy thistle and nyjer seeds, so you may spot flocks of them around your feeder in wintertime. 

Crows

American crows are always flying around and cawing in the taller trees in the backyard. They like to eat whatever they can find in our compost pile.

While they won’t show any interest in a traditional feeder, an open compost pile will draw them in. Even if you don’t have room for a compost pile, you can still put out special food for them. One of my friends enjoys feeding them, and she will toss out her stale nuts, fruits, popcorn, and even dead mice for them to nibble on. From what I’ve seen, they’re not very picky and will clean up whatever you’ve set out for them. 

Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether your backyard visitor is a crow or raven. Ravens tend to be larger and seem to prefer meat. 

Dark-Eyed Juncos

These gray birds will come out to eat birdseed in all kinds of weather. Even in the windiest snowstorms, they will cling to the railing of the deck and peck at whatever seeds they can find under the snow. 

Dark-eyed juncos are members of the sparrow family. While all of our east coast juncos are gray and white, if you take a trip out west, you may find ones with many different colors and patterns!

Downy Woodpeckers

Downy woodpeckers are the smallest woodpeckers in North America. They are pint-sized versions of their larger woodpecker cousins and are easily identified by their black and white speckles. Males have a red tuft on the backs of their heads. 

These little guys are a treat to see at the feeder. They don’t come very often, but when they do they climb around everywhere and even hang upside down!

Eastern Bluebirds

If you live in some sections of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, you may spot eastern bluebirds even in winter! Colder states and regions are unlikely to see bluebirds, but these birds live year-round in warmer coastal areas. (Here’s what bluebirds eat in winter.)

European Starlings

These guys come in droves, which are called murmurations. Sometimes there are 10-15 at once trying to pile onto our bird feeder, and when they leave they make quite a show in the sky. 

Their plumage changes depending on the time of year. In summer, they are darker and sleeker. During winter, they’re a bit fluffy and have spots like the ones you can see in the picture above.

European starlings are goofy birds, similar in many ways to blue jays. I’ve seen groups of both birds antagonizing each other before. 

These guys live in far more than just the northeast – they’re an invasive species that has spread all over North America. We have Shakespeare enthusiasts to thank for that. 

Evening Grosbeaks

Evening grosbeaks visit most of the northeast during winter, but northern sections of New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine see these birds year-round. They like black oil sunflower seeds along with fruits and seeds from many trees and shrubs. 

Goldfinches

American goldfinches look much less gold in winter! They molt, which gives them this mottled brown appearance. Come summer, their bright yellow feathers will return in full glory. 

These birds are among the tiniest ones that will visit your feeder. They’re even smaller than chickadees! You’ll often find them visiting in large groups, and despite their size they will chase away much larger birds.

House Finches

House finches live year-round in the northeast. They love black oil sunflower seeds, so watch for flocks appearing at a feeder for them!

It can be hard to tell house finches apart from purple finches. To tell the difference, look at their sides. House finches have pronounced brown streaks below their wings, while purple finches don’t.

House Sparrows

The house sparrow is one of the world’s most universal birds. They can be found on nearly every continent! Naturally, they’ll frequent feeders in winter if given the chance.

Mourning Doves

You’ll often see mourning doves cooing away on telephone lines even in winter. They eat small seeds from the ground and in feeders.

Pine Siskins

Pine siskins are a rare but awesome sight at northeast feeders! While they don’t come every year, you’ll see flocks of them gathering for small seeds depending on how well things grew the year prior. 

Purple Finches

Purple finches pop against the snow when they visit your feeder. Don’t be fooled by the name, though – they’re far more red than purple! Only the males have this bright color. 

It’s hard to tell the difference between purple finches and house finches. Look at their sides to see the difference: house finches have prominent brown streaks under where their wings sit. Purple finches will have faint or nonexistent streaks under their wings.

Red-Bellied Woodpeckers

The colorful red-bellied woodpecker can be seen at feeders during wintertime. They’re fun to watch, especially when they start scaring off starlings.

You’re probably wondering why they’re called red-bellied when all the color is clearly on their heads. Well, as you can see from the photo above, they have the tiniest bit of pinkish-red on their undercarriage. It’s rare to see that when you’re watching the feeder, though, so just look for that bright red crest on their heads!

Red-Breasted Nuthatches

Red-breasted nuthatches can be found year-round in most of the northeast. Like the red-belllied woodpecker, the red on their breast is more of a rusty color than a true red.

Red-Winged Blackbirds

Red-winged blackbirds are a great sight during winter, when they’re likely to enjoy the seeds and nuts you offer them. Don’t be surprised if you see one that looks like an oversized sparrow – the females look nothing like their red-and-yellow-winged mates!

Robins

American robins are another bird you may frequently see in the northeast during winter – even though we think of them as spring birds! (Here’s what robins eat in winter.)

Tree Sparrows

The American tree sparrow is another frequent visitor during northeast winters. They eat seeds from feeders and off the ground.

Tufted Titmice

These little birds have a mohawk like blue jays, but they’re gray and much, much smaller. They are in the same family as chickadees, and you can often see them eating at feeders together. 

Once a tufted titmouse has found your feeder, it may take many seeds to store for later!

Turkeys

These silly dinosaur-looking birds are always around the house. 

At night, these birds will nest high up in the trees. Sometimes they fall out! When it snows more than a few inches they’ll squawk and try to fly over the fields to get to trees on the other side, often with mixed results. They travel in large flocks, which makes them easy to spot. 

While not a typical sight at the bird feeder, I looked out the window yesterday and saw one standing on the railing next to it. He stared at me with his beady eyes and then took off. 

White-Breasted Nuthatches

These little birds are reminiscent of sandpipers at the beach, with their long beaks and grey and white coloring. Sometimes they try to jab the other birds with those big beaks, though. 

You can tell males and females apart by their heads: a male’s cap is black, while a female’s is a lighter gray. 

White-breasted nuthatches are known to flock with chickadees and titmice for safety, so you may notice them with other birds at a feeder. Nuthatches may also come to bird feeders repeatedly, taking seeds to stash for later in the winter rather than eating on the spot. They shove their seeds into holes in the bark, and later come to crack them open – leading to the name “nuthatch.”

White-Throated Sparrows

White-throated sparrows can be found in all but the northernmost areas of the northeast during wintertime. They often visit the ground around feeders to look for small seeds that have fallen out.

FAQs About Northeast Winter Birds

What bird is associated with winter?

Cardinals and blue jays are both commonly associated with winter due to their bright coloring. Cardinals in particular are often used for winter decorations and illustrations, especially around the holidays.

Do all birds leave NY in the winter?

No, many birds live in New York year-round, and some arctic birds spend the winter in New York before flying home to northern Canada and Alaska for the breeding season.

Do bluebirds winter in NY?

Eastern bluebirds only winter in the southernmost New York counties – roughly from around the Orange and Putnam county lines and south through New York City.

Do robins leave NY for winter?

American robins live in New York year-round.

Do pigeons stay in New York in the winter?

Pigeons stay in New York state in winter, spring, summer, fall, now, forever, and always. They will NEVER leave.

Are finches out in winter?

Yes, many finch varieties are out in winter throughout the northeast.

Do Blue Jays leave Maine in the winter?

No, blue jays live in Maine year-round.

Do Cardinals stay in Maine in the winter?

Cardinals live in southern Maine throughout the year.

Are goldfinches around in the winter?

Yes, goldfinches remain in the northeast throughout winter – they’re just harder to spot because they lose their telltale golden feathers! Their plumage is a more muted yellow-brown in wintertime.

What does a winter goldfinch look like?

A goldfinch looks like this in winter: 

Happy Birding!

I’ve seen many of these common winter birds at our feeder (except for crows, who like the compost pile), after putting out Wagner’s Greatest Variety for them. If I fill the feeder in the morning, it’s usually gone by the afternoon.

Check out the list of the best bird feeders to pick the right feeder for your birds and personal needs!