32 Backyard Birds of Indiana

Last Updated on January 17, 2024 by Greg Gillson

I’ve put this resource together for you to answer your question: What birds are in my backyard in Indiana?

This article lists and discusses the identification of the most common birds in your backyard. The birds chosen in this article are compiled from actual data from the citizen science program eBird. Thus, it is more accurate than some other similar articles you may find on the web. I provide pictures of each bird species mentioned. I tell how to attract them to your backyard.

These are the most common backyard birds in Indiana:

1. Northern Cardinal
2. American Robin
3. Mourning Dove
4. Blue Jay
5. American Goldfinch
6. Downy Woodpecker
7. Red-bellied Woodpecker
8. Tufted Titmouse
9. White-breasted Nuthatch
10. American Crow
11. Song Sparrow
12. Carolina Chickadee
13. Red-winged Blackbird
14. European Starling
15. House Sparrow
16. House Finch
17. Carolina Wren
18. Dark-eyed Junco
19. Common Grackle
20. Brown-headed Cowbird
21. Eastern Bluebird
22. Northern Flicker
23. Gray Catbird
24. American Tree Sparrow
25. Indigo Bunting
26. House Wren
27. Barn Swallow
28. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
29. Eastern Wood-Pewee
30. Field Sparrow
31. Eastern Kingbird
32. Eastern Towhee

Indiana Birds and Birding in Indiana State

eBird lists over 420 types of birds as occurring in the state of Indiana.

The most common bird in Indiana: the most frequently seen bird in the state is Northern Cardinal. It is reported on 59% of bird watching lists.

If you are serious about knowing the birds native to Indiana, then check out eBird for Indiana. It has recent sightings and photos, illustrated checklists with weekly abundance bar charts for state, counties, and individual hotspots of the best birding locations.

If you want to know about other people interested in birds in your area, join a local bird group. The American Birding Association maintains a list of bird watching clubs for each state.

Indiana Bird Identification 

This section is the species accounts. These are designed to help you to recognize birds you see in your backyard. I have used eBird to select the birds that are most common. “Common” means the birds seen most often throughout the year, not necessarily the most numerous.

Each species account starts with a photograph. In the identification section I am using size and shape and bill type before considering the color or patterns on the birds. I find these more reliable when trying to identify an unknown bird. Pay attention to body and tail shape and especially bill shape of birds you see, not just plumage color.

In the section on bird feeders and foods I tell how to attract each species. Not all types of backyard birds will come to feeders. But all backyard birds can be attracted with water. So don’t forget to add a birdbath to your bird feeding station.

Do you live in southern Indiana? Northern Indiana? Central Indiana? Northwestern Indiana? Northeastern Indiana?

To appear in this article, most birds are widely distributed throughout the state and are often year-round residents. However, for those birds that are more localized in place or time, I list the general region and seasonality. Please see the section following these species accounts for the lists of common species by season.

Even if a species is found in a general area, they occur only in the habitat they prefer. So, the exact habitat of your neighborhood is important for the presence of absence of certain kinds of birds.

1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

This is one of the most common and popular backyard birds in the eastern half of the United States.

Northern Cardinal. GeorgeB2 from Pixaby

Range in Indiana: Northern Cardinals are year-round residents in Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Cardinals are a bit smaller than American Robins, about the same size as Red-winged Blackbirds. 

Shape: Plump body with fairly long full tail. Wispy crest. 

Bill: Short, heavy, conical, pink. 

Color: That bright red color is matched by few other birds. Black face. The female is grayer, but with hints of red in wings and tail, and has a crest, too.

Habitat, range & behavior: Cardinals are year-round residents in shrubby woodland edges. 

They occur from the eastern United States to Texas and Arizona south into Mexico. 

That large conical bill is made for chewing seeds. Watch them crack open sunflower seeds, spit out the hulls, and pluck the kernel with their tongues!

Food and feeder preference: Black oil sunflower seeds. Many types of seeds, berries, nuts in larger hopper or tray feeders.

You may like my in-depth article on attracting Northern Cardinals.

2. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

This familiar backyard bird is a resident in the northern half of the United States and a winter visitor in the southern half.

American Robin. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: American Robins are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. 

Size: 10 inches long from bill tip to tail tip. About the same size as a Blue Jay or one of the Scrub-Jays. Larger than Red-winged Blackbird. Smaller than a Mourning Dove. 

Shape: Very plump with a fairly long tail. 

Bill: Straight and fairly slender, curved at the tip. 

Color: Gray-brown upperparts, rusty orange breast.

Habitat, range & behavior: Open woodlands, farmlands, urban parks and lawns. 

Migratory, breeds north across Alaska and Canada. Resident in most of the United States (lower 48). Winters in the United States, Mexico, to central America. 

Hops on your lawn turning head this way and that looking for food. Their caroling song is one of the early signs of spring in the north.

Food and feeder preference: Worms and other invertebrates in the lawn. May eat fruit from a tray feeder or the ground. Eat small berries from trees and bushes.

3. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Mourning Doves are the most widespread and most frequent backyard bird in the Lower 48 states of the United States.

Mourning Dove. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: Mourning Doves are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. 

Size: About 12 inches long from bill tip to tail tip. About same size as Northern Flicker. Larger than American Robin. Slightly smaller than domestic city pigeon. 

Shape: Very plump with a small round head. Tail is long and pointed. Legs are short. 

Bill: Small and rather slender. 

Color: Pale brown-pink body, darker wings and tail. White edges on side of tail.

Habitat, range & behavior: Semi-open areas such as urban areas, farmlands, woods. Often seen perched on wires, fences. 

It is a resident across the lower-48 states and Mexico, with some movement out of northern areas in winter. 

Their mournful cooing is a familiar spring birdsong.

Food and feeder preference: Mourning Doves eat seeds almost exclusively. Attract with black oil sunflower seeds on a large sturdy tray feeder or on the ground.

4. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

A common and well-known bird in the eastern half of the United States.

Blue Jay. skeeze from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Blue Jays are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: Size: About that of American Robin. Shape: Fluffy, large crested head, ample tail. Large strong legs. Bill: Black, long and stout. Color: Blue above, white below. Black neck collar. White patches in wing.

Habitat, range & behavior: Woodlands and towns. 

Found in the eastern half of the United States. In summer into southern Canada. 

Bold and brash. May bully smaller birds. Jays gulp lots of seeds or other food at once, storing it in their crop. Then they fly off and bury food items in a hidden cache.

Food and feeder preference: Omnivorous. They can quickly empty your feeder! Because they are also aggressive toward other feeder birds, some people put mesh cages around smaller bird feeders. Small birds can go through, squirrels and larger “pest” birds are prevented entry. People often feed jays peanuts, perhaps away from the seed feeders.

5. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

A common and beautiful tiny finch familiar to many in its bright yellow summer plumage. Colloquially called a “wild canary.”

American Goldfinch. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: American Goldfinches are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. 

Size: Very small at about 5 inches from bill tip to tail tip. Similar in size to a chickadee. Larger than hummingbirds. Smaller than juncos and House Finches. 

Shape: Tiny, somewhat plump with larger head and short tail. 

Bill: Short, conical, pink. 

Color: Males in summer are bright lemon yellow with black forehead and black wings and tail with white bars. White under tail coverts. Females are dull olive, wings and tail browner. Winter birds are pale grayish-yellow with tan and brown wings and tail.

Habitat, range & behavior: This species is found in weedy fields and similar clearings with thistles and similar plants. 

It is found coast-to-coast throughout the year across most of the middle lower-48 states. In summer moves north to the Canada border. In the winter found south to the Mexico border. 

The flight is highly undulating, rising and falling as they flap in short bursts. Besides a long, sweet lilting song, they call in flight a lilting 4-part: “potato chip!”

Food and feeder preference: Feeds on weed seeds, thistle seed. May eat black oil sunflower seeds from tube feeder. Attract with Niger seed in a feeder called a “thistle sock.”

You may like my in-depth article on attracting American Goldfinches.

6. Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)

This tiny woodpecker is found in backyards across the United States.

Downy Woodpecker. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: Downy Woodpeckers are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Bigger than a junco or House Finch. Smaller than a Red-winged Blackbird. About the same size as a White-crowned Sparrow, but with a much shorter tail. 

Shape: Stocky with large head and short stiff tail. 

Bill: Short, chisel-shaped. 

Color: Black-and-white striped head. Black wings with white spots. Solid white back. White under parts. Black tail with white outer tail feathers with black bars or spots. Male with small red spot at back of head.

Habitat, range & behavior: Found in small deciduous trees, willows, and even weed stocks such as teasel, especially near water. 

Ranges coast-to-coast across all but northernmost parts of Canada and Alaska south to the southern US. Absent in the desert southwest. 

Interestingly, I learned today that the males may more often be found in smaller plants and twigs, while females are more likely on tree trunks.

Food and feeder preference: Insects, fruits, and seeds. Gleans arthropods from the bark of trees. Attract with suet feeder. Will also eat black oil sunflower seeds.

7. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

This is one of the most common species in the eastern half of the United States.

Red-bellied Woodpecker. skeeze from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Red-bellied Woodpeckers are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Fairly large for a backyard bird. Between a Starling and American Robin in size. Smaller than a Northern Flicker. 

Shape: Stout with large head and short tail. Clings to tree trunk on strong short legs propped up with short stiff tail. 

Bill: Long, chisel-shaped. 

Color: Pale gray body, many thin black-and-white bars across back and wings. Red nape, extending forward on crown on male.

Habitat, range & behavior: These birds are found in many woodland types, including oak, hickory and pine. 

They are found from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in the lower-48 states from Texas to extreme southern Canada, and eastward from Florida northward just to the southern edge of the New England states. 

In typical woodpecker fashion, it hitches up the tree trunk and larger branches.

Food and feeder preference: This species eats insects and nuts. They may eat peanuts from a tray feeder. Attract with a suet block.

8. Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Related to chickadees, these common birds lack the black bib, but have a crest instead.

Tufted Titmouse. anne773 from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Tufted Titmice are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: A small bird, but a large titmouse, this species is larger than chickadees, about the size of a junco or House Finch. 

Shape: Rounded body, long full tail, big head, long legs. 

Bill: Short and stout, compressed (taller than wide), black. 

Color: Dark blue-gray above, pale below. Black feathers around eye accentuates its size.

Habitat, range & behavior: Lives in deciduous forests with heavy canopy, parks. 

Found in eastern and southeastern United States is expanding its range north and west. 

Backyard bird feeders might be helping this species expand its range northward.

Food and feeder preference: Insects and seeds. At your hopper or tray feeder attract with black oil sunflower seeds and suet.

9. White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

A favorite backyard feeder bird for many for its active antics and fearlessness. Though a small bird it is the largest nuthatch in North America.

White-breasted Nuthatch. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: White-breasted Nuthatches are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: About chickadee-sized in length. Smaller than a junco or House Finch. 

Shape: Appears large-headed, neckless, very short tailed. Short legs. 

Bill: Nearly as long as head, straight, thin. 

Color: Blue-gray above, white below. Black cap, wing tips, tail. Rusty feathers under tail.

Habitat, range & behavior: Common in oak and oak-pine woodlands, wooded towns. 

Found across the United States, southern Canada, mountains of central Mexico. Absent from treeless grasslands, deserts in the west. 

Crawls over tree branches and head-first down tree trunks searching for insects.

Food and feeder preference: Insects, seeds, acorns and other nuts. Attract with black oil sunflower seeds feeding on hopper and tray feeders. Suet blocks.

10. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

This larger all-black bird is common in cities and country. Its cawing call is familiar to most people.

American Crow. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: American Crows are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. 

Size: About 17-1/2 inches long from bill tip to tail tip, though there is much size variation throughout its range. Larger than blackbirds and grackles. Smaller than ravens. 

Shape: Thick neck, large head, rather short square-ended tail. Longer legs. In flight has rounded wing tips with each primary feather separated from others forming “fingers.” 

Bill: As long as head, thick, black. 

Color: Glossy black throughout.

Habitat, range & behavior: They prefer open areas with trees, fields, farms, cities. 

They are common across most of the United States lower-48, except in the desert southwest. They move into southern Canada in summer. 

They gather in evening communal roosts in large flocks that may number into the thousands and then move out at dawn into the surrounding area.

Food and feeder preference: Omnivorous, they feed on large insects, grain, small mammals, carrion. You probably don’t want these large entirely black birds in your backyard feeders. So don’t feed table scraps to birds.

11. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

A common bird, but variable, and similar to many other streaked brown sparrows.

Song Sparrow. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: Song Sparrows are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: A smaller bird, similar in size to House Finch and juncos. Larger than chickadees and goldfinches. Smaller than White-crowned Sparrows or Spotted/Eastern towhees. 

Shape: Plump with round head, long rounded tail. 

Bill: Short, conical. 

Color: Highly variable in darkness and color saturation across its range (dark rusty to pale gray). Generally gray-brown above with dark brown streaking on back. Complicated head pattern. Streaking on sides and breast converge into dense central breast spot.

Habitat, range & behavior: Thickets, especially near water. Backyard shrubbery. 

Resident in western United States, western Canada, coastal southern Alaska, northeastern US. In summer also moves into mid-Canada and northern half of US. In the winter found in most of the US lower-48. Also a population in central Mexico. 

Forages on ground, never far from low cover to which they fly if startled.

Food and feeder preference: They feed on seeds and insects near the ground. Will visit hopper and tray feeders for mixed bird seed.

12. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

Chickadees are common feeder birds throughout much of North America. This one is common in the southeastern United States.

Carolina Chickadee. GeorgeB2 from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Carolina Chickadees are year-round residents in the southern 2/3 of Indiana; absent in the northern part of the state.

Identification: 

Size: This small bid is the size of an American Goldfinch. 

Shape: Round body, round head, longer tail. 

Bill: Short, straight, stout. 

Color: Gray above. Paler below. Black cap, white face, black bib.

Habitat, range & behavior: Lower elevation deciduous forests, wooded residential areas. 

This chickadee is a resident in the southeastern US. 

Chickadees cannot chew as sparrows do, so they take one large sunflower seed at a time from your feeder and fly off to a branch to pound it open with their stout bills.

Food and feeder preference: Most of their diet is insects, also seeds. Attract with black oil sunflower seeds from hopper feeders.

13. Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

These noisy flocking birds are most often found in marshes. But in winter they are found in backyards.

Male Red-winged Blackbird. Greg Gillson.

 

Female Red-winged Blackbird. Greg Gillson.

Range in Indiana: Red-winged Blackbirds are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird.

Size: About 8-3/4 inches long from bill tip to tail tip. About the size of a Northern Cardinal. Smaller than an American Robin.

Shape: Pot-bellied with a longer bill and flat forehead. Tail average.

Bill: Long and sharp pointed.

Color: Males are black with red and yellow shoulder patch. Females are streaked brown and rusty (sparrow-like but pointed bill and flat forehead).

Habitat, range, and behavior: Cattail marshes and wetlands are their summer habitat. In winter they feed in grain fields.

They breed across most of the North American continent. In winter they withdraw from most of Alaska and Canada.

They are found in colonies in summer and large flocks in winter.

Food and feeder preference: They eat insects in summer. In winter they eat grain and seeds. They visit feeders, more often in large winter flocks, and eat most seeds and suet.

14. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Introduced to North America in the late 1800’s, they crossed the continent, often to the detriment of native cavity-nesting birds. The prime example of an invasive species.

European Starling. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: European Starlings are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. 

Size: 8-1/2 inches from bill tip to tail tip. About the size of a Red-winged Blackbird. Smaller than an American Robin. Larger than a White-crowned Sparrow or Spotted/Eastern towhee. 

Shape: Stocky with large head, short square-ended tail. Longer legs. 

Bill: As long as head. Sharp pointed. Yellow in spring, otherwise dark. 

Color: They are grayish brown much of the year, with glossy iridescence and white spotting during the spring.

Habitat, range & behavior: Lowland birds that need trees large enough for nest cavities but plenty of open area for feeding. They are most abundant in urban and suburban areas where they find food and artificial nest cavities. 

Resident from coast-to-coast from southern Canada to northern Mexico. In summer north across Canada and Alaska. Native range is Europe to Pakistan, north Africa. 

Often viewed as a pest, starlings often bully other backyard birds, taking over bird feeders, and stealing nest cavities from smaller native birds. In winter they can form into flocks of tens of thousands.

Food and feeder preference: Primarily insects when available, often feeding on the ground. Discourage them from your backyard hopper and tray feeders by never feeding birds table scraps (including bread or meat). They have weak feet and do not perch well on tube feeders. A cage mesh around smaller hopper feeders may keep them out.

15. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Like the starling, this is another bird introduced from Europe in the 1800’s. This sparrow is commonly found in cities and farmlands. It is considered a pest in most areas where it has been introduced.

House Sparrow. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: House Sparrows are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: The size of a House Finch or Dark-eyed Junco. 

Shape: Chunkier than native North American sparrows with large head, barrel chest, short neck, medium tail, short legs. 

Bill: Short, conical. 

Color: Males are brown and gray with a black mask. Females lack the black and are tan and brown with a pale line back from the eye.

Habitat, range & behavior: Cities and farms. 

Range in North American from southern Canada through Central America. In summer northward through Canada to southern Alaska. Originated in Middle East and spread to most of Europe and Asia. Introduced in South America, Africa, Australia–nearly anywhere there are people and cities. 

They tend to be messy… and have a good appetite and may occur in large noisy chirping flocks. They are aggressive toward other feeder birds.

Food and feeder preference: They eat grain, seed, and insects. To discourage them from your hopper and tray feeders do not feed birds human food scraps. They have a bit of difficulty eating from tube feeders.

16. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)

Originally a bird of the West, now common across most of the US. There are other red finches, but these are the ones most likely in residential areas.

House Finch. Greg Gillson

Range in Indiana: House Finches are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: This is a key species for comparing with an unknown bird. 

Size: About 6 inches from bill tip to tail tip. Larger than goldfinches and chickadees. Smaller than a White-crowned Sparrows or Spotted/Eastern towhees. 

Shape: Medium build with a medium-long notched tail. Round head. 

Bill: Short, conical. 

Color: Brown and gray above with streaks on the sides of the pale underparts. Males with red (sometimes orange or rarely yellow) crown, chest, rump.

Habitat, range & behavior: You’ll find small flocks on wires, in short tree tops and in bushes. Originally deserts and grasslands. Rural areas and towns are where they’re now most common.

Formerly found in the western United States and Mexico. Then introduced into the northeastern United States, but now found in nearly all of the lower-48 states and extreme southern Canada. Rare in plains states (Dakotas to Texas) and southern Florida. 

House Finches are not territorial, but males sing throughout the year–a lively, wiry song ending in a couple of buzzy notes.

Food and feeder preference: They love sunflower seeds and tube feeders. May eat from thistle socks.

You may like my in-depth article on attracting House Finches.

17. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

This is a fairly common backyard bird in the much of the eastern United States.

Carolina Wren. theSOARnet from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Carolina Wrens are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: A smaller bird, between the size of American Goldfinch and House Finch. 

Shape: Round body, short neck, flat head, long tail flipped about actively. 

Bill: Fairly long, thin, pointed and slightly curved. 

Color: Upper parts rusty brown with black bars on the wings and tail. A white eyebrow line and buff under parts.

Habitat, range & behavior: Shrubby thickets and brushy suburban yards. 

It is found in the southeastern United States and Yucatan. Northern parts of range expand and contract depending upon harshness of winters. 

Males sing throughout the year and are very loud for their size.

Food and feeder preference: Feed mostly on insects and spiders. Attract with suet.

18. Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Colloquially called “snowbirds,” they often arrive in backyards in winter from nearby mountain forests or more northern climes.

Dark-eyed Junco. skeeze from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Dark-eyed Juncos are winter visitors throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Small birds about the size of a House Finch. 

Shape: Round body, short neck, round head, fairly long square-ended tail. 

Bill: Short, pointed, conical, pink. 

Color: Eastern birds are a darker all-gray with white belly. Western birds have jet black hood over head, brown back, and pink sides.

Habitat, range & behavior: Breed in coniferous forests. Winters widely. Avoids heavy brush, preferring widely spaced bushes. 

Breeds across most of Canada, Alaska, and the western half of the United States. Winters from southern Canada and all of the lower 48-states to extreme northern Mexico. 

Spend much of their time hopping and feeding on the ground.

Food and feeder preference: Eats mostly seeds, also insects in summer. Readily feed at backyard feeders on mixed seeds on hopper or tray feeders and ground.

You may like my in-depth article on attracting Dark-eyed Juncos.

19. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Sometimes considered a pest to crops, grackles are longer and lankier than very similar blackbirds.

Common Grackle. GeorgiaLens from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Common Grackles are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Larger than Red-winged Blackbirds, they are near the length of Mourning Doves. 

Shape: Long, with long full keel-shaped tail, long legs, flat crown. 

Bill: Longer than head, pointed, but stouter than other blackbirds. 

Color: Glossy black with hint of bronze or green on head (depending upon population). Yellow eye.

Habitat, range & behavior: They are found in agricultural areas, woodland edges, city parks and lawns. 

Resident in the southeastern United States. In summer they migrate northward and west to the central United States and Canada. 

They monopolize feeders and are bullies toward other birds.

Food and feeder preference: Grain, corn, acorns, small aquatic fish and amphibians. To discourage them, use tube feeders, rather than hopper or tray feeders. Don’t over-feed, keep spilled seed picked up.

20. Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Cowbirds are small blackbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other smaller birds, such as warblers. The adoptive parents raise their young!

Brown-headed Cowbird. Greg Gillson.

Range in Indiana: Brown-headed Cowbirds are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Larger than White-crowned Sparrows, but smaller than Rose-breasted or Black-headed Grosbeaks. Smaller than other blackbirds, starlings, and grackles.

Shape: Perhaps a little bit pot-bellied. Medium length tail. Flat forehead as typical for blackbirds.

Bill: Rather thick and stout.

Color: Males are glossy black with rich brown head. Females are dusty gray-brown throughout. Long-held juvenile plumage similar to pale female, scaly, being fed by Yellow Warbler or Song Sparrow or a hundred other host species.

Habitat, range & behavior: They are found in woodlands and farms. Also, with other blackbirds in winter at shopping center parking lots.

In summer they breed across Canada and most of the United States and Mexico. In winter they move south out of Canada and occupy both coasts and southeastern States in the US.

These small blackbirds join other flocks of blackbirds in cattle feedlots. You may see cowbirds riding on the backs of cattle, sheep, or horses. They originally rode on the backs of American bison on the Great Plains but expanded when forests were cut.

Food and feeder preference: Cowbirds eat grains, seeds, and insects. They will readily come to hopper and platform feeders. They are larger and more aggressive, so keep other birds from feeders and have a big appetite!

21. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

A beloved bird of open fields with trees and fence lines for perching.

Eastern Bluebird. skeeze from Pixabay

Range in Indiana: Eastern Bluebirds are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: Larger than House Finches. Much smaller than starlings. About length of White-crowned Sparrow but differently proportioned–bigger body, shorter tail. 

Shape: Chunky, large head, short tail. Bill: Straight, fairly slender, curved at tip. 

Color: Males are brilliant blue above (including wings and tail), rusty orange below with white belly and under tail. Females are often much paler, almost grayish.

Habitat, range & behavior: Found in pasture, fields, golf courses, open woodland edges. 

They are resident in most of eastern US, highlands of Middle America. In summer reach northernmost eastern US and southernmost eastern Canada, withdrawing somewhat in winter. 

They readily use nest boxes, but the entrance hole must be smaller than the head of a starling, and without a perch.

Food and feeder preference: They eat flying insects primarily, but also other invertebrates and berries. They will eat mealworms at your feeder and frequent birdbaths.

22. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Of all the bird identification questions I get asked, this common larger backyard bird is the bird most people ask about. It doesn’t occur to those unfamiliar with it that this could be a woodpecker.

Northern Flicker. Greg Gillson.

Range in Indiana: Northern Flickers are year-round residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: About the size of a Mourning Dove. Larger than a robin. 

Shape: Stocky with short legs, short tail, big head. 

Bill: As long as head, thin, slightly curved. 

Color: Back is brown with black bars. Under parts pinkish with black spots. Undersides of black wing and tail feathers are bright salmon red (West) or yellow (East). Head gray (West) or brown (East) and males with red (West) or black (East) whisker marks and nape marks (East). Black crescent across chest. White rump seen in flight.

Habitat, range & behavior: Found in woodland edges and forests. 

Year-round resident from extreme southern Canada, across all of the lower-48 states and in the mountains of Mexico and Middle America. In summer breeds northward well into Canada and Alaska. 

Frequently noted hopping on ground pecking in the ground for insects. In late spring, males proclaim their territory by rapid pounding on a hollow tree branch, though the ringing of metal downspouts at dawn is louder and carries much farther, to the exasperation of anyone trying to sleep inside!

Food and feeder preference: Ants and beetles are their primary foods. Will eat black oil sunflower seeds and are attracted to suet.

23. Gray Catbird (Dumatella carolinensis)

This bird is rather common where it occurs, but a bit secretive.

Range in Indiana: Gray Catbirds are summer visitors throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: About the length of a Red-winged Blackbird or Northern Cardinal. 

Shape: Long tailed, round head. 

Bill: Medium-length, pointed. 

Color: Gray with a black tail and black cap. Rusty under tail coverts.

Habitat, range & behavior: Dense woodland edges, scrub, abandoned orchards. 

Breeds in eastern and central US and adjoining southern Canada. Winters in extreme south US Gulf states, southward in eastern Mexico to Panama. 

They spend much time hopping on the ground or in low bushes. They defend a winter territory, unlike most birds.

Food and feeder preference: Insects and berries. You may attract this species with jelly and fruit feeders, suet, and water.

24. American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)

These birds nest at the edge of the tundra. Don’t expect the first ones in fall until late October, at least.

American Tree Sparrow. Greg Gillson.

Range in Indiana: American Tree Sparrows are winter visitors throughout Indiana.

Identification:

Size: These are smaller sparrows, the size of juncos.

Shape: Small roundish body, rounded head, long tail.

Bill: Small conical. Bicolored–dark upper and yellow under mandibles.

Color: Pale gray breast and face. Rusty back, wings, crown, line back from eye. Two white wing bars. Dark central breast spot.

Habitat, range & behavior: In winter they like open weedy fields with small trees.

Breed in Alaska and northern Canada. Winter in northern half of the United States.

These birds spend much more time on the ground than in trees.

Food and feeder preference: They visit feeders for small seeds but spend more time on the ground under the feeders.

25. Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

Don’t mistake Indigo Buntings for the larger Blue Grosbeak. As the name suggests, the grosbeak has a much larger and thicker bill, along with rusty wing bars, lacking in Indigo Buntings.

Range in Indiana: Indigo Buntings are summer visitors throughout Indiana.

Identification:

Size: These birds are a bit smaller than a House Sparrow.

Shape: Plump. Large round head. Medium short tail.

Bill: Large and conical.

Color: Males are deep blue. Females are pale gray-brown with diffuse streaks below.

Habitat, range & behavior: Open woodlands and clearings. Country farm roads.

They are found in the East and parts of the Southwest, north to southern Canada.

Sing from the tallest tip of tree or telephone lines, a cheerful paired bouncy song very similar to American Goldfinch. In fact, they are sometimes called “blue goldfinches” because of this!

Food and feeder preference: These birds will eat seeds from hopper feeders, perhaps more so in the late spring when they first arrive during migration.

26. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

These backyard birds will readily use nest boxes to raise their young.

House Wren. Greg Gillson.

Range in Indiana: House Wrens are summer residents throughout Indiana.

Identification:

Size: About the size of Black-capped Chickadee but with shorter tail.

Shape: Round body. Large head. Thin short tail.

Bill: Fairly long, thin, slightly down curved. Sharply pointed.

Color: Rather dull brownish-gray throughout. Paler throat and breast. Tail barred with black and pale bars along with the brown.

Habitat, range & behavior: Brushy areas, woodland edges, hedge rows, tree stumps in logged areas.

Breed across Canada and the northern and mid-latitudes of the United States. Winter to the southern United States and through Mexico. Found year round at southern edge of breeding range: California, North Carolina to northern Alabama, southern Arizona south through mountains of Mexico.

Stay hidden in brushy areas. Hop among tree roots, logged stumps.

Food and feeder preference: May feed at suet feeder.

27. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

These common swallows are widely distributed throughout the world, primarily breeding in the northern hemisphere, and wintering in the mid-latitudes and southern hemisphere.

Barn Swallow. Greg Gillson.

 Range in Indiana: Barn Swallows are summer residents throughout Indiana.

Identification: 

Size: About the size of a House Finch but with a much longer tail. 

Shape: Stocky, short necked but with long body and tail. Tail is forked, with very long outer tail feathers. Wings pointed. 

Bill: Short, wide. 

Color: Glossy dark purplish-blue above. Pinkish-orange below. 

Habitat, range & behavior: Barn Swallows live in open country, frequently near humans. Farmlands. Nest in barns, under small bridges. 

In North America breed from Mexico to northern Canada and Alaska, wintering from southern Mexico throughout most of South America. 

Frequently seen swooping low over the ground hunting flying insects. Perch on wires, fences. Voice is twitters and chirps with grating sounds. 

Food and feeder preference: Eat flying insects on the wing and are not attracted to backyard feeders.

28. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

This is the only hummingbird that breeds in the eastern half of the United States and Canada.

Range in Indiana: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are summer residents throughout Indiana.

Identification:

Size: A tiny bird, much smaller than any other in the eastern US, except perhaps some other rare hummingbird.

Shape: The small body is chunky, with a big head, and short tail.

Bill: Very long and tubular, slightly down curved.

Color: Metallic green above, white below with scattered green or gray feathers. Male with glimmering ruby red throat that is black unless it refracts sunlight at just the right angle.

Habitat, range & behavior: They find flowers at forest edges and flower gardens.

They summer in the eastern US and southern Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains. Some winter in from the coast of the Carolinas to Florida and along the Gulf Coast.

Darting flight on a blur of wings that buzz when they flap so fast! They feed by poking their long bill into flowers.

Food and feeder preference: They drink flower nectar from tubular flowers using their long brush-tipped tongue. They also feed on spiders and small flying insects. They are readily attracted to hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water.

29. Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)

Eastern Wood-Pewees and Western Wood-Pewees appear very similar. Their ranges nearly split the continent in half, east and west. Their song separates them; it is a clear whistled pee-a-wee in the Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a burry pee-yeear in the Western Wood-Pewee.

Eastern Wood-Pewee. Tony Castro CC 4.0

Range in Indiana: Eastern Wood-Pewees are summer residents throughout Indiana.

Identification:

Size: Bigger than a House Finch; smaller than a bluebird.

Shape: Upright posture. Large head. Thick chest. Long tail. Long wings.

Bill: Medium length, wide at base. Black above; yellow-orange below.

Color: Grayish-olive above, slight yellow tinge below (looks white in strong light). Pale wing bars. No eye rings.

Habitat, range & behavior: Woodlands. Large shade trees in town.

Summer resident in the East, from southern Canada southward.

These flycatchers tend to perch on a dead twig high in the canopy. They sing throughout the day, attracting attention to this otherwise quite drab and nondescript bird.

Food and feeder preference: These birds feed on flying insects and do not come to feeders.

30. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

These birds land on the top of ripe grasses and ride the grass down to the ground to hold the stem and feed on the seed head.

Field Sparrow in Central Park. Rhododendrite. CC BY-SA 4.0

Range in Indiana: Field Sparrows are summer residents throughout Indiana and year-round residents in the southern half of Indiana.

Identification:

Size: These are small sparrows, even smaller than Dark-eyed Juncos.

Shape: Slim. Long notched tail. Short bill.

Bill: Conical. Short. Pink.

Color: Gray face. Red lateral crown stripes. Striped back. White eye ring. Two white wing bars. Legs and bill pink.

Habitat, range & behavior: Found in overgrown field, woodland edges.

Year-round resident in the Southeast. Summers northward to eastern United States, barely southeastern Canada.

After breeding they form into flocks in weedy road edges and overgrown fields.

Food and feeder preference: Small grass seeds in winter. Insects in summer. At your feeder will eat the small seeds such as white proso millet from platform feeders or on the ground.

31. Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

These birds often build nests in trees that overhang streams.

Eastern Kingbird. Greg Gillson.

Range in Indiana: Eastern Kingbirds are summer residents throughout Indiana.

Size: About the size of a Red-winged Blackbird. Smaller than a robin.

Shape: Fairly sleek. Perches upright with big puffy head, full tail.

Bill: Fairly long, wide at base,

Color: Black head. Black tail with white band at tip. Dark gray upper parts. White under parts.

Habitat, range & behavior: Farms, clearings in woodlands.

Found across Canada and in the United States east from the Rocky Mountains.

These birds perch on fence lines, tips of small trees. Sally out and snatch flying insects and return to perch.

Food and feeder preference: They eat insects and do not come to feeders.

32. Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

These common birds were formerly lumped with Spotted Towhee as one species, Rufous-sided Towhee. Together they were found in backyards across the United States. They now split the country in half, east and west.

Eastern Towhee. Skeeze from Pixabay.

Range in Indiana: Eastern Towhees are summer residents throughout Indiana, they are year-round residents in the southern half of Indiana.

Identification:

Size: Just a bit larger than a White-crowned Sparrow.

Shape: Chunky or pot-bellied with a big round head and full rounded tail.

Bill: Stout and conical.

Color: Black hood and upper parts, including tail. White wing path. White tail corners. Rusty sides. White belly. Females replace the black with dark brown.

Habitat, range & behavior: Brushy woodland edges. Tangles.

Breeds throughout the eastern United States and adjacent southernmost Canada. Northern populations migrate out of the northern US to the Southeast.

These birds spend much of their time on the ground, kicking up leaf litter with both feet in a hop-kick.

Food and feeder preference: These birds eat a wide variety of insects, beetles, berries, and seeds. They will feed on the ground under your feeder or on platform feeders. They like black oil sunflower seeds and other seeds.

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Common Birds in Indiana

To determine how common each species is I used the data from actual bird sightings from the citizen science program eBird. Birds are listed by frequency. That is, how often the species is recorded on checklists submitted to eBird (a percentage).

When choosing the birds to include in this article I leaned strongly to birds that are present throughout the year in good numbers. Thus, many of the common birds are
year-round residents. This means that they live in the same location all year. They raise their young in your neighborhood. They don’t migrate. Or if the species does migrate, the ones living in your area don’t. If this is the case, some migrants may move into your area during certain times of year, adding to the same species that are in your yard full time.

Some migrant birds visit your yard during the “summer.” Often, they arrive in spring and remain until late fall. They nest and raise their young in your neighborhood. These are the summer residents.

Other migrant birds visit your backyard during the “winter.” Some of these winter visitors may arrive in July and remain into April. Others may only be found in the cold of December or January. They key here is that they nest and raise their young somewhere else. They only visit your yard in the non-breeding season.

Migration is an amazing spectacle. There will be birds that fly through your region in spring or fall (or both). They may visit your backyard only a few days or weeks a year. They aren’t regular enough, or stay long enough, to be included in this article. But the number of briefly visiting migrant birds could double the number of species presented here. You may see them over time. Consult checklists in eBird for your county to see what is possible.

I have generally excluded common waterfowl, birds of prey, shorebirds, seabirds, and others that aren’t usually found in residential areas. But they may certainly fly over or be seen regularly if your home is on a shoreline, for instance.

Most common backyard birds in Indiana throughout the year

The following list is the backyard birds that are most common throughout the entire year, on average. The list is ordered on most common birds based on the frequency of how often birds are recorded on checklists submitted to eBird.

1. Northern Cardinal (59% frequency)
2. American Robin (45%)
3. Mourning Dove (43%)
4. Blue Jay (43%)
5. American Goldfinch (42%)
6. Downy Woodpecker (42%)
7. Red-bellied Woodpecker (39%)
8. Tufted Titmouse (38%)
9. White-breasted Nuthatch (38%)
10. American Crow (38%)
11. Song Sparrow (36%)
12. Carolina Chickadee (33%)
13. Red-winged Blackbird (33%)
14. European Starling (33%)
15. House Sparrow (30%)
16. House Finch (27%)
17. Carolina Wren (24%)
18. Dark-eyed Junco (22%)
19. Common Grackle (20%)
20. Brown-headed Cowbird (19%)
21. Eastern Bluebird (19%)
22. Northern Flicker (19%)
23. Gray Catbird (16%)
24. Chipping Sparrow (15%)

Most common backyard birds in Indiana in winter

1. Northern Cardinal (55% frequency)
2. Dark-eyed Junco (46%)
3. Downy Woodpecker (46%)
4. White-breasted Nuthatch (40%)
5. Blue Jay (39%)
6. Red-bellied Woodpecker (39%)
7. Tufted Titmouse (38%)
8. American Crow (36%)
9. Mourning Dove (35%)
10. Carolina Chickadee (34%)
11. American Goldfinch (34%)
12. House Sparrow (33%)
13. European Starling (32%)
14. House Finch (30%)
15. Song Sparrow (26%)
16. American Tree Sparrow (23%)
17. Carolina Wren (20%)
18. American Robin (20%)

Most common backyard birds in Indiana in summer

1. American Robin (62% frequency)
2. Northern Cardinal (60%)
3. Mourning Dove (55%)
4. Red-winged Blackbird (49%)
5. American Goldfinch (48%)
6. Song Sparrow (46%)
7. Indigo Bunting (40%)
8. Blue Jay (38%)
9. Gray Catbird (37%)
10. Downy Woodpecker (34%)
11. American Crow (34%)
12. House Sparrow (33%)
13. Common Grackle (33%)
14. Tufted Titmouse (32%)
15. European Starling (32%)
16. Chipping Sparrow (32%)
17. White-breasted Nuthatch (31%)
18. Red-bellied Woodpecker (31%)
19. House Wren (30%)
20. Barn Swallow (29%)
21. House Finch (27%)
22. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (25%)
23. Eastern Wood-Pewee (25%)
24. Carolina Chickadee (25%)
25. Carolina Wren (23%)
26. Field Sparrow (22%)
27. Eastern Kingbird (21%)
28. Eastern Bluebird (21%)
29. Eastern Towhee (20%)

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Common Backyard Birds of Indianapolis, Indiana

Carolina Chickadees. GeorgeB2 from Pixabay

1. Northern Cardinal (67% frequency)
2. Carolina Chickadee (57%)
3. American Robin (52%)
4. Downy Woodpecker (50%)
5. Blue Jay (47%)
6. American Goldfinch (45%)
7. White-breasted Nuthatch (44%)
8. Tufted Titmouse (43%)
9. Red-bellied woodpecker (42%)
10. Mourning Dove (39%)
11. House Sparrow (38%)
12. Song Sparrow (37%)
13. European Starling (34%)
14. Carolina Wren (34%)
15. American Crow (33%)
16. House Finch (27%)
17. Gray Catbird (22%)
18. Dark-eyed Junco (20%)
19. Eastern Bluebird (20%)

Carolina Chickadees and Carolina Wrens are more common in the Indianapolis area than in the state of Indiana as a whole. 

Otherwise, the common backyard birds are pretty much the same in Indianapolis as in the rest of the state.

Wrapping Up

Indiana has a lot to offer birders, whether it be in backyards, gardens and parks or the wider countryside. Here are my pick of the best common birds you might see if you venture out of your locale.

Forests and Woodlands:

• Downy Woodpecker: Small black and white woodpecker with white belly, drumming sound.
• Red-bellied Woodpecker: Larger woodpecker with red head and belly, loud drumming.
• Tufted Titmouse: Gray bird with black cap and white wing patches, chickadee-like call.
• Carolina Chickadee: Small gray bird with black bib and white wing bars, “chick-a-dee” call.
• Carolina Wren: Small brown wren with long tail, loud, bubbling song.
• Gray Catbird: Gray bird with black cap and long tail, mimics other birds’ songs.
• Pileated Woodpecker: Large black woodpecker with red crest, loud drumming and loud “kuk” call.

Waterways and Wetlands:

• Canada Goose: Large, honking waterfowl, often seen in parks and ponds.
• Mallard: Green-headed duck with white ring around neck, common in ponds and lakes.
• Great Blue Heron: Tall wading bird with long legs and neck, often seen near water.
• Killdeer: Brown and white shorebird with long legs, loud piercing “kill-deer” call.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the state bird of Indiana?

The state bird of Indiana is the Northern Cardinal! These beautiful birds are iconic for their bright red plumage on males and their melodious whistle-like songs. They’re commonly found in backyards, open fields, and woodlands throughout the state, making them a familiar sight for many Hoosiers.

Interestingly, Indiana is one of seven states that share the cardinal as their state bird! Other states claiming the cardinal as their own include Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina.

What bird has a long thin beak in Indiana?

There are several birds in Indiana with long, thin beaks, so it depends on a bit more information to narrow it down:

Habitat: Where did you see the bird? Knowing if it was near water, in a forest, or an open field will help eliminate possibilities.

Size: Was the bird small, medium, or large?

Color: Do you remember any of the bird’s plumage colors?

Behavior: Was it probing the ground, catching insects in the air, or perched on a branch?

Here are some possibilities based on common beak descriptions:

• Long, down-curved beak: Carolina Wren: Small, reddish-brown bird with a long, decurved beak, often found in dense vegetation.
• Long, straight beak: Stilts and avocets: Large wading birds with extremely long, thin legs and straight beaks, usually found near water.
• Long, thin, serrated beak: Cormorants: Medium-to-large aquatic birds with black plumage and a hooked beak, often seen fishing in ponds and lakes.
• Long, slender beak: Hummingbirds: Tiny birds with thin, needle-like beaks for extracting nectar from flowers.

What bird has a forked tail in Indiana?

The Barn Swallow is a commonly seen bird in Indiana and has a distinctive forked tail.

They are commonly found near open areas with access to water and flying insects. Here are a few places in Indiana that you might be able to find them:

• White River State Park, Indianapolis: This park has a variety of habitats, including forests, wetlands, and open fields. The White River runs through the park, and there are also several ponds and lakes. Barn swallows can often be seen near the water, where they catch insects in mid-air.
• Waterfront Pavilion, Indianapolis: This is a popular spot for fishing and picnicking, and it’s also a good place to see barn swallows. The pavilion is located on the banks of the White River, and the swallows often nest in the rafters of the building.
• Deep River Waterpark, Crown Point: This waterpark is a great place to see barn swallows in the summer. The swallows are attracted to the water and the abundance of insects that are drawn to the park.
• Morse Park & Beach, Noblesville: This park has a beach on Morse Reservoir, which is a popular spot for swimming, boating, and fishing. Barn swallows can often be seen flying over the water, catching insects.

Related Articles: 

Birds at Your Feeder in Indiana

Feeding winter birds in Indiana

Red, Orange, & Yellow birds of Indiana

Please also check out my recommended products page. There I maintain a list of the best feeders, bird foods, binoculars, bird baths, fountains, books and other bird watching items.