28 Backyard Birds in New Jersey

Do you wonder which backyard birds in New Jersey are on your birdfeeders?

This article will help you to identify common backyard birds in New Jersey for all seasons. We will explain what to look for by color, shape, and size. We will also include a picture so you can refer back to see this guide when you can’t identify a bird in your backyard.

The most commonly seen bird in New Jersey is the American Robin out of 472 species of birds found throughout the state.

The official state bird of New Jersey is the American Goldfinch (also known as the Eastern Goldfinch).

The following common birds are found in New Jersey all year long:

These birds are only seen in New Jersey during the summer months:

There are a few other birds (besides the year-round birds) that can be seen only during wintertime in New Jersey:

• Dark-eyed Junco
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• American Tree Sparrow

To learn more about other birds in New Jersey see our articles on Owls in New Jersey, Woodpeckers in New Jersey, and Hawks in New Jersey.

Below is detailed information about each backyard bird that you can see in New Jersey.

Most Common 28 Backyard Birds in New Jersey

1. Blue Jay

Scientific Name: Cyanocitta cristata Size: 9.8-11.8 inches

Description and Field Marks

Blue jays are easily identified by their blue feathers, white cheeks, and large crest on top of their head. They are large birds with a wingspan of about 20 inches.

They are loud and noisy, but other birds trust them to notify them when there’s danger around. Jays are one of the species that will mob hawks and owls and pin them down in trees, alerting all the birds in the area that a predator is nearby.

Blue jays are very intelligent birds and have a wide range of vocalizations. They are known to mimic other birds, animals, and even humans. Blue jays will also use their intelligence to solve problems.

Nesting

Blue Jays build their nest 10 to 25 feet above the ground, mostly in trees by any V branches. However, once I had a blue jay build their nest near the light next to my front door. That was crazy as we couldn’t use our front door during that time because they would dive down at us if we went near the door.

The nest is a cup-like structure made of grass, twigs, and mud. Although both the male and female gather material for the nest, the female does most of the building while the male does most of the gathering.

There are usually 2 to 7 eggs that are light brown in color with darker brown spots on them. The incubation period is 17-18 days and the young remain in the nest from 17 to 21 days.

The nesting season is from March to July. Although the Blue Jay can have 2 broods each season, they usually only have one.

Diet

Blue jay’s diet consists of nuts, fruits, and insects. They will also eat bird seed from backyard feeders and they have been known to steal food from other birds

Jays love whole peanuts. Toss a handful on your lawn or patio and watch what happens. They fly away with their peanuts and leave the feeders alone for a while.

Habitat

Blue Jays are quite common birds in New Jersey. They can be found in suburban areas, parks, and forests. They can be found year-round in the northeast but they tend to migrate south for the winter months.

Bird Notes

Jays have been known to mimic a Red-tailed Hawk call to keep small birds away from a food source, screeching to clear the birds off the bush with the tasty berries and then swooping down into the bush to feed after the competition’s been chased off.

Song and Call

2. Northern Cardinal

Scientific Name:  Cardinalis cardinalis Size: 8.3-9.1 inches

Description and Field Marks

A male cardinal is bright red in color and the female is a brownish color with red on its wings. The male’s crest is also longer than the female’s. They both have a thick finch bill with black around their faces.

The Northern Cardinal is a songbird and males sing from high perches to attract mates. They are very territorial and will defend their territory from other Cardinals

Nesting

These birds like dense, thick foliage like pines, junipers, and shrubs to build their nests in. They average about 3 eggs each spring and the eggs are white but could have a hint of blue, green, or brown to them. The eggs can also have colored speckling of gray, brown, or red. They are incubated for around 11 to 13 days. Both parents will feed their young for a few months until they are able to survive on their own.

Diet

The Northern Cardinal is a seed eater, eating seeds from the ground or off plants. They also eat insects, fruits, and berries when available.

Cardinals are frequent users of feeders and are attracted by wild bird seed mix, black-oil sunflower seeds, and safflower seeds. 

Habitat

The Northern Cardinal is one of the most common and popular backyard birds in the eastern half of the United States. The Northern Cardinal is found in New Jersey year-round.

Bird Notes

It is often said that when a “cardinal appears a loved one is near”, so the cardinal brings peace of mind to many.

Song and Call

3. American Goldfinch

Scientific Name: Spinus tristis Size: 4.3-5.1 inches

Description and Field Marks

The American Goldfinch is a small, sparrow-sized bird with a short, notched tail.

In Spring and Summer, the male has a bright yellow body, black wings with wing bars, and a heavy, finch-like bill, while the female is less boldly colored. In winter both males and females become dull green-gray and look like female House Finches.

Goldfinches are very social birds and often travel in flocks. They fly in a rolling up-and-down pattern, and their song is high-pitched and mellifluous.

Nesting

Nesting later than most birds in this area (late June), the American Goldfinch hides its nests in thick brushes and shrubs making them very hard to see. The nests look like cup-like structures made of grasses, seeds, and soft materials on top of the twigs in the brushes.

The female lays 2 to 7 eggs which take 12 to 14 days to hatch. The young are fed by the male and stay in the nest for 11 to 17 days. Depending on how late the pair mates, they can mate again having two broods in a season.

Diet

They love Nyjer and sunflower seeds year-round, but will also eat a finch seed blend. Finch feeders have very small openings and can be either rigid feeders or disposable nylon socks.

Habitat

They are found in most of North America and are usually resident all year. However, those that breed in Canada and the Midwest migrate to the southern US States for winter.

American Goldfinches are spotted in New Jersey yearly, but their numbers increase during the breeding season. Breeding usually starts in late April or early May.

Bird Notes

In winter, check your finch feeder for Pine Siskins, which look like sparrows with yellowish accents.

Song and Call

4. Tufted Titmouse

Scientific Name: Baeolophus bicolor Size: 5.5-6.3 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Tufted Titmouse is a small bird, but a large titmouse. This species is larger than chickadees, about the size of a junco or House Finch. They are stocky birds with dark eyes and crests. Gray on top and white below and some even have a peachy color on their sides.

The Tufted Titmouse is a common and favorite bird for many people in their backyards. They are active all year, but more so in winter when they will flock with chickadees and other small birds.

Nesting

The Tufted Titmouse is a cavity nester, which means it will nest in an abandoned woodpecker hole or another hollow.

They will make their nest in a hole in a tree or building. The female Tufted Titmouse lays 4-6 white eggs and incubates them for 11-12 days.

Diet

Tufted Titmouse diet consists of insects, seeds, and berries, and will feed on the ground or in trees. They will often be found with Chickadees and love feeders, suet, and shelled peanuts.

Habitat

The Tufted Titmouse is found in the eastern and southeastern United States and is expanding its range northward.

Song and Call

5. Mourning Dove

Scientific Name: Zenaida mactoura Size: 9.1-13.4 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Mourning Dove is a medium-sized bird from the dove family. It has a rusty brown color and a few black spots above the wings. They can reach up to 12 inches in body length while their wingspan can be up to 18 inches.

Nesting

The pair of Mourning Doves is monogamous and they usually mate for life. They use old nests of other birds or build their own nest on top of a post, tree branch, or even on the ground.

Mourning Doves lay two white eggs and incubate them for 13 days. The male also feeds her during this time. The young will leave the nest after 15-16 days.

Diet

Mourning Doves eat seeds and grains that are found in the backyard. They also eat insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles.

Mourning Doves are one of the vacuums of the bird world, so they don’t eat from feeders but from what falls on the ground when other birds use your feeder.

Habitat

The Mourning Dove is frequent in most parts of the United States.

Song and Call

6. Downy Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Dryobates pubescens Size:  5.5-6.7 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Downy Woodpecker is bigger than a junco or House Finch but smaller than a Red-winged Blackbird. It has a black-and-white striped head and black wings with white spots and a solid white back and white underparts. The Downy Woodpecker has a black tail with white outer tail feathers with black bars or spots. The male has a small red spot on the back of his head.

Nesting

Look for their nest in dead trees or live trees with dead areas. They carve out an area large enough for the eggs and the bird. They line the nest only with wood chips. The nest can take weeks to make and is done by both the male and female.

A Downy woodpecker only has one brood each year with 3 to 8 eggs which are white in color. The incubation period is around 12 days with both the male and female taking turns. The young will stay in the nest for around 30 days.

Diet

Mostly Downy Woodpeckers eat insects. The male tends to eat from the ground while the female likes to find insects from branches and in trees. They will also eat seeds, weeds, and fruit.

The Downy Woodpecker will visit your backyard feeders for suet and nuts.

Habitat

The Downy Woodpecker is a common bird found throughout New Jersey in places where there are trees. You will see them in residential areas, cities, farmland, and wooded areas.

Song and Call

Drumming

7. House Finch

Scientific Name: Haemorhous mexicanus Size: 5.1-5.5 inches

Description and Field Marks

The House Finch is a small bird with a length of 7.5 inches and a weight of 5 ounces. The male House Finch has a brown back, wings, tail, and head with white underparts and varying shades of red around the head while the female is grayish-brown all over.

Nesting

House Finches build their nest anyway as long as it’s 12 to 15 feet above the ground usually in buildings and trees. Nests are made of grass, weeds, twigs, and leaves. The female builds the nest while the male will feed her during this time and incubation.

The eggs are pale blue with lavender and black dots and consist of 2 to 6 eggs. The incubation period is 13 to 14 days. Both the male and female feed their young for the 12 to 15 days they remain in the nest.

House Finches usually have 3 broods each year.

Diet

House Finches like to eat small worms, insects, seeds of small plants, and berries of some plants as well. They will visit the bird feeders often and really love sunflower seeds. They will also visit your Hummingbird feeders for the sugar water.

Habitat

Seen throughout North America, the House Finch is a very social bird and is usually seen in flocks except during mating season. You will find them in cities, suburban towns, and farmland. They love lawns, weedy areas, and trees but not dense forests.

Bird Notes

If the bird you’re looking for has a raspberry or light pink body check to see if it’s a purple finch.

Song and call

The House Finch has a high-pitched sound that the male House Finch mostly uses to attract the female for breeding.

8. Red-bellied Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus Size: 9.4 inches

Description and Field Marks

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are one of the most common backyard birds in Massachusetts. You can identify them by their red belly (hence the name) and black and white stripes down their back. Male Red-bellied Woodpeckers also have a red cap, but females only have napes of red.

It’s big, it’s loud, and it will peck on your siding.

Nesting

Red-bellied Woodpeckers also build nests in dead trees and make the same nest each year. They lay up to 4-5 eggs on top of wood chips inside the nest cavity. The eggs hatch after about 2 weeks, and the young birds leave the nest after about 4-5 weeks

Diet

Red-bellied Woodpeckers devour spiders, insects, and seeds from grasses, fruits, and nuts. They are especially fond of acorns and beech nuts. In fact, they play an important role in dispersing these seeds since they often cache (or store) more food than they can eat in one sitting.

Loves suet, peanut butter, and peanuts

Habitat

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are found in all Eastern US states and don’t migrate. This means that you can see them in your backyard all year round! They tend to stay close to the ground and can often be found in birdfeeders, specifically in wooded areas.

Song and Call

Drumming

9. White-breasted Nuthatch

Scientific Name: Sitta carolinensis Size: 5.1-5.5 inches

Description and Field Marks

The White-breasted Nuthatch gets its name from the fact that it stuffs nuts and seeds under tree bark, then uses its sharp beaks to hatch the seed from the shell. The White-breasted Nuthatch has a black cap on top of their heads, with white on either side and on their bellies.

Plump little birds, larger and heavier-bodied than Red-breasted Nuthatch. Nuthatches always start at the top of the tree and work their way down to the ground.

Nesting

They make their nets in tree cavities or holes made by woodpeckers at least 15 feet above the ground. Females build their nests out of grasses, twigs, mosses, and bark fibers.

They only have one brood per year consisting of 5 to 9 eggs. The eggs are white with reddish-brown spots. The eggs are incubated by the females. The males feed them during that time.

Both the male and female feed their young which leave the nest at any point from 14 to 26 days

Diet

The White-breasted Nuthatch will visit most seed feeders and like mixed seed blends, black sunflower seeds, peanut butter, peanuts, or suet. They usually like to grab and run, taking a seed and immediately flying off to eat it or cache it in a nearby tree.

Habitat

It is a small bird that is the largest nuthatch in North America. The White-breasted Nuthatch is found year-round throughout New Jersey and is a common backyard bird.

Song and call

Their call sounds like a squeaky wheel.

10. Black-capped Chickadee

Scientific Name: Poecile atricapillus Size: 4.7-5.9 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Black-capped Chickadee belongs to the Chickadee family. They are small birds with black caps, clear breasts, and rusty to rufous sides. They are mostly black and white in color with gray on their wings. The male is slightly different from the female and has less weight and a smaller size than the female with a larger bib.

Nesting

They nest in holes that are either natural or made by woodpeckers. They will make the hole bigger and then fill it with moss and grass and other soft materials forming them into a cap-like structure.

The female lays 6-8 eggs which are white or light cream in color with brownish or reddish speckles. The female warms the eggs while the male protects the nest and brings food to the female.

Diet

The Black-capped Chickadee likes eating small insects, nuts, seeds of small bushes, and berries. Chickadees are naturally curious, so they will get close while you refill those feeders and may eventually take seed from your hand. They love black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, and peanut butter.

Habitat

The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most common backyard birds in New Jersey. Four species of Paridae have been recorded in New Jersey.

Bird Notes

They are the town criers of the bird world, announcing everything from a crow or hawk coming to dinner.

Song and Call

11. Eastern Bluebird

Scientific Name: Sialia sialis Size: 6.3-8.3 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Eastern Bluebird is a small size bird that belongs to a family of North American songbirds known as the Turdidae. The Eastern Bluebird is mostly found in farmlands, orchids, gardens, and open woods.

The male bluebird is mostly blue with a rusty color throat and chest. The female is much duller with a grayish head and back and bluish wings and tails. Its breast is the light orange-brown and its dirty white belly.

Nesting

Nests are made by the Eastern Bluebird in the holes of trees, like pine and dead trees. The Eastern Bluebird lays three to five eggs at a time and incubates them for around 12 days. The chicks become mature in 12 to 15 days

Diet

It will definitely visit the feeders, the Eastern Bluebird eats small fruits, berries, seeds, and worms. Worms and insects are the major food items for the grown-up Eastern Bluebird.

Habitat

The Eastern Bluebird is another common backyard bird in New Jersey. It can be seen from July to March in New Jersey.

Song and Call

The Eastern Bluebird produces a beautiful melody with its vocals.

12. Song Sparrow

Scientific Name: Melospiza melodia  Size: 4.7-6.7 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Song Sparrow is a medium size bulky sparrow. Their mostly brown body has streaks of white/light gray throughout. It has a long rounded tail and broad wings.

It’s larger than a chipping sparrow but smaller than a dark-eyed junco.

Nesting

The Song Sparrow nest is made of grass and twigs. They are also lined with hair, feathers, and wool.  The nest is usually found in a bush or tree near water. They are not afraid of humans so can nest close to your home on lights or poles and in flower beds.

The Song Sparrows lays one to six eggs. The eggs are either, blue, blue-green, or gray-green with some brown spots on them. The incubation period is 12 to 15 days and the young spend another 9 to 12 days in the nest.

The Song Sparrow can have anywhere between 1 to 7 broods per year.

Diet

It eats insects, seeds, and berries. They will come to your feeders for any kind of seeds or suet.

Habitat

Song Sparrows are very common in New Jersey. They can be found all over the state.

Song and Call

The Song Sparrow has a song that sounds like “chink, chink.”

13. Dark-eyed Juncos

Scientific Name: Junco hyemalis Size: 5.5-6.3 inches

Description and Field Marks

The dark-eyed juncos are little birds that are slated gray in color. They are known as medium size sparrows with long tails, round faces, and white on its belly. They also have bright white markings on its tail.

Dark-eyed junco has a population of over 600 million making it one of the most common birds in the United States and Canada.

Nesting

The Dark-eyed Juncos lay three to six eggs. They are cream-colored with brown spots. The eggs are usually laid in a tree hole or on the ground.

Diet

The Dark-eyed Junco eats seeds, berries, and insects. They can be found in bushes and trees. Juncos LOVE feeders! They will eat whatever you put out black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanut butter, or generic wild bird food.  They are not picky.

Habitat

When Juncos appear, Winter is near. You can see them in Canada and the western mountains during the spring and summer months. These birds flew south to North America for the winter months.

Look for them on deciduous forest floors and on the grass in your backyard. They can be found in bushes and trees all over New Jersey during the winter months.

This is another bird that can travel in mixed flocks, so you never know who else will turn up at your feeder alongside the Juncos.

Song and Call

14. Carolina Wren

Scientific Name: Thryothorus ludovicianus Size: 4.7-5.5 inches

Description and Field Marks

A lot of birds packed into a tiny body. Carolina Wrens are aggressive and loud and have no issue chasing off larger birds from their neighborhood. Small, brown bird with creamy-colored breasts, distinctive white eye stripe, white wing bars, and a cocked-up tail.

Nesting

The Carolina Wren will nest in any pockets they can find about 3 to 6 feet above the ground. They look for nest pockets on your property such as an old flower pot, stumps, pales, propane covers, etc.

Both the male and female build the nest out of leaves, twigs, grasses, straw, paper, or whatever they can find. They also built several nests and then chooses the one they want. They cover 3 sides of the nest with only an entrance to get in and out.

The Carolina Wren has 1 to 3 broods a mating season and lays 3 to 7 eggs each time.

The eggs can be one of several colors (white, cream, pink) but all have small brown spots on them. The incubation period is about two weeks and the young remain in the nest for an additional two weeks.

Diet

The Carolina wren mostly eats insects and spiders. On occasion, they will eat some plant material and seeds.

Habitat

The Carolina Wren can be found in bushes and trees. It can also be found on the ground.

The Carolina Wren is a common bird and can be seen in New Jersey from April to October.

Song and Call

Carolina Wrens have a lot to say. If you hear something that sounds like a finger running down a comb, that’s a Carolina Wren. The easiest call to learn is the “Tea Kettle, Tea Kettle, Tea Kettle” call

15. Mockingbirds

Scientific Name: Mimus polyglottos     Size: 10 inches

Description and Field Marks

Mockingbird bodies are grayish brown with white wing bars, (2 on each wing). Their breasts are slightly paler (may look whiteish) than their bodies. Mockingbirds have small heads, long legs, and long thin bills.

Nesting

The male builds several nests in trees and shrubs usually 3 to 10 feet but could go higher. The female will choose which nest she will lay her eggs.

Northern Mockingbirds lay 2 to 6 eggs which are pale blue or white in color with spots of red or brown. The incubation period is around 2 weeks and the young will remain in the nest for about 2 weeks.

They have between 2 to 3 broods a mating season and the male will continue to feed the young from the first brood when the female will lay eggs for the second brood, which she will choose enough nest for.

Diet

Northern Mockingbirds will eat insects during the summertime and will switch to fruit and berries during the fall and winter.

Habitat

Mockingbirds are very common in New Jersey. They can be found all over the state.

Song and Call

16. American Crows

Scientific Name: Corvus brachyrhynchos Size: 15.8-20.9 inches

Description and Field Marks

The American Crow is not a crow at all. It is a raven, but it has been called the “American Crow” for many years. This all-black bird has shiny feathers. The bill is also black with a hook on the end. The male is slightly glossier than the female.

The American crow is smaller than the fish crow.

Nesting

The American Crow doesn’t breed until it’s between 2 and 4 years old. The “family” stays together for years, so some of the “kids” will help raise the next year’s brood.

Their nests are in large trees mostly evergreens. Both the male and female will make the nest out of large twigs lined with pine needles. The nest is big around 15 inches across and 7 to 10 inches deep.

They usually lay 3 to 9 eggs which are bluish-green in color with gray and brown blotches at either end.

The incubation period is 16 to 18 days, and the young remain in the nest anywhere from 20 to 40 days.

Diet

The American Crow will eat just about anything including seeds, nuts, worms, and small animals such as mice. They will also steal and eat eggs from other birds like robins, sparrows, loons, jays, and eiders. They will even eat garbage from the dumps.

Habitat

The American Crow can be seen throughout the United States but differ in size by region. Eastern crows are the ones you will see in New Jersey throughout the year and are larger than what you will see on the west coast. In Florida, the American Crow is smaller but has large feet. And the Northwestern Crow, once thought to be a different species are smaller with a deeper voice.

You will find these crows on lawns, open fields, woodlands, parking lots, and in towns as well as in cities.

Bird Notes

The American Crow is an aggressive bird that will chase many large birds like eagles and hawks. Many times you will see them in flocks of up to 1000 birds.

Song and Call

17. House Sparrows

Description and Field Marks

The House Sparrow differs from another American Sparrow as they are not related. They have a rounder head and are chunkier, with bigger chests, short tails, and thicker bills.

Like most other female birds, she is duller than the male, brown with dirty gray and brown underparts with striped backs in brown, black, and buff.

Male House Sparrows are chunky with a round head, stout bill, and full breasts. Colors include gray crowns, dark brown necks, white cheeks, black bibs, and gray crowns.

Nesting

House sparrows nest in cavities and use a variety of materials to build their nests. They are not known for being picky about where they nest, so if you have a birdhouse or an old nest box in your yard, it might attract house sparrows. House sparrows nest in cavities in trees or buildings.

The female lays 3-8 eggs. The incubation period is 10-14 days and the young stay in the nest for 10 to 14 days.

Diet

They eat seeds, grains, and insects. Sparrows will definitely be at your feeder eating birdseed, sunflower seeds, millet, and milo.

Habitat

The House Sparrow lives where people live. You will find them in cities and towns, in backyards and parks.

House Sparrows are common in New Jersey backyards however not as common as they once were. They have been replaced by European starlings (another non-native species) in many areas.

Song and Call

18. Gray Catbirds

Scientific Name: Dumetella carolinensis Size: 8.3-9.4 inches

Description and Field Marks

In the songbird family, the Gray Catbird is mostly gray but has some cinnamon brown under its tail and some black on its cap and tail.

Nesting

Female catbirds build their nest in shrubs, vines, and bushes usually around 4 feet off the ground. Nests are made of twigs, branches, and grass-like materials.

Catbirds can have 2 to 3 broods per mating season with 1 to 6 eggs each. Incubation lasts 12 to 15 days and the young remain with their parents for around 10 days.

Diet

They mostly eat insects, caterpillars, and moths but will also eat fruit and berries. They can become backyard pests if you grow fruit in your yard.

Habitat

Gray catbirds don’t like to fly in open areas so you will most likely see them in small vines, bushes, and trees. You will see them in your backyards so look in the branches of your bushes both in summer and winter.

Song and Call

The Gray Catbird songs all day long and will mimic other birds.

19. European Starling

Scientific Name: Sturnus vulgaris Size: 7.9-9.1 inches

Description and Field Marks

The European Starling is the size of a Robin and from a distance looks all black. However, they have a purplish-green iridescent color to them when you see them up close. Their yellow bill stands out and they have short tails.

You often see them in large flocks with blackbirds and grackles.

Nesting

Starlings will take other birds’ nests and use them as long as they are high off the ground, usually in trees, on streetlights, buildings, or nest boxes. The male will find these nests and will add twigs, pine needles, grasses, and feathers. Females will add greens to the nest before laying 3 to 6 eggs.

Both the male and female will incubate the eggs for a period of around 12 days. The egg color is bluish to greenish white. The young will stay in the nest for about 3 weeks.

Diet

European Starlings eat mostly insects but will also eat fruits. In addition, they will eat seeds, nectar, garbage, and livestock feed.

Habitat

They live where humans are, in towns and cities, and roost in trees and on buildings, also you will see them on wires. They like open fields and lawns and are not far from a water source.

Bird Notes

A fun fact about the European Starling is that all North American birds descended from 100 birds that in 1890 were intentionally released into Central Park in New York City. Today they have a population in the North America of over 2 million.

Song and Call

The European starling is a highly sociable bird. It lives in flocks of up to 100 birds, and its calls include whistling and chattering noises.

20. White-throated Sparrow

Scientific Name: Zonotrichia albicollis Size: 6.3-7.1 inches

Description and Field Marks

White-throated sparrows are very small birds, with a length of 4 inches and a weight under 2 ounces. They have brown backs and white underbelly, with a white stripe on the back of their necks. They have brown eyes and gray bills.

Nesting

White-throated sparrow makes their nests on the ground or just above it usually in bushes or under bushes so it has some cover. The female builds the nest out of grasses, twigs, pine needles, and rootlets. Their nest is small usually only around 4″ and about 2″ deep.

The eggs are pale blue and his several colored speckles (purple, chestnut, lilac). They lay 1 to 2 broods a year (will build a new nest for each) with between 1 to 6 eggs. The incubation period is 11 to 14 days and the young will stay in the nests for around a week to two weeks.

Diet

Their diet consists of insects, seeds, and berries. will feed from seed on the ground. During the winter they will eat from your bird feeders and like black oil sunflower seeds and millet.

Habitat

White-throated sparrows are very social birds and can be seen in large flocks during migration. They are migrating birds that breed in Canada, and head south in the fall.

White-throated sparrows are common birds in Massachusetts, especially during the winter months. often found in small groups in brushy areas of parks and fields. When they leave, Spring is on its way.

White-throated sparrows can be found in New Jersey from October through April, and they are not considered a threatened or endangered species.

Mostly seen in New Jersey during the winter months, the white-throated sparrow is a smaller sparrow that is most easily identified by the white stripe on its neck. They are migrating birds that breed in Canada and head south in the fall.

They spend their winters in New Jersey, often found in small groups in brushy areas of parks and fields.

Song and Call

The song is “Oh Canada, Canada, Canada”.

21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Archilochus colibris Size: 3.8 inches

Description And Field Marks

Tiny, brightly colored bird with a huge bill. Males are bright green with a ruby-red throat and a black facial stripe; the female is bright green above with a white throat. Fast fliers that appear like large bees while in flight.

The hummingbird is one of the few birds that can fly at night because it has excellent eyesight. It uses its long bill to catch insects to eat.

It can fly up to 35 miles per hour. These tiny birds can fly up, down, sideways, and even backward.

Nesting

The Hummingbird’s nest is very tiny, about 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep. It is made in trees about 40 feet high on branches out of thistle, spider silk, and pine resin. It takes the female a little over a week to make.

The female usually lays 2 tiny white eggs. The incubation period is 12-14 days and the young remain in the nest between 18 and 22 days.

Diet

Hummingbirds love bright flowers, and they have Hummingbird bushes that will attract them to your backyard. They will come to special Hummingbird feeders with nectar which is white sugar and water. They sell the nectar in stores, but you can also make it yourself.

Please don’t buy the red colored one as it can be harmful to the birds.

Habitat

Everyone loves to see hummingbirds in their backyards. The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common species in New Jersey. It is easy to identify because of its iridescent red throat and the fact that it can hover like a helicopter while feeding.

Song and Call

Wingbeat

22. Cedar waxwings

Scientific Name:  Bombycilla cedrorum Size: 5.5-6.7 inches

Description and Field Marks

In the spring males sport bright red feathers on their wings that give them the name Cedar waxwing. They have a yellow ban on the tip of the tail. Cedar waxwings are small birds, averaging only 5.5 inches long.

Nesting

They have a special way of building their nest: they use the sticky saliva from their mouths to bind the twigs together.

The nests are made of twigs and lined with grass, hair, or rootlets.

They build their nests in trees and shrubs, usually at a height of about 20 feet, and lay three to five eggs.

The male and female both incubate the eggs for about 12 days, but once hatched, both parents feed the young.

Each brood of chicks will have two to three broods a year.

Diet

During the winter months, Cedar waxwings feed on fruits and berries, but in the spring they switch to insects.

They eat berries, nectar, and insects.

Habitat

Found year-round in New Jersey, the Cedar waxwing can be identified by its dark brown body, white belly, and yellow undertail coverts.

Cedar waxwings are common in the northern U.S. and can be found in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

Song and Call

23. Northern Flicker

Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus Size: 11.0-12.2 inches

Description and Field

The Northern Flicker male and female are similar in color. They both have a rounded head, the bill is curved down and the tail tapers to a long point.

Although the same bird their colors differ from the eastern United States (bright yellow wing and tail feathers) and the western US (red wing and tail feathers).

The Northern Flicker is also known as “the woodpecker that doesn’t peck wood.” Instead, it gleans insects from the bark of trees.

Nesting

It nests in holes excavated by other animals, such as squirrels and woodpeckers. It lays 5 to 8 eggs which are all white. They only have one brood per nesting season.

The incubation period is around 2 weeks and the young stay in the nest for about a month.

Diet 

Northern Flickers mostly will eat insects that they get from the ground. They will “drum” at the ground as other woodpeckers drum in trees and wood. During the winter months, they will also eat fruits and seeds.

These are beautiful woodpeckers. They may also stop in at your suet and peanut feeders, but most likely you’ll see them nesting in old trees.

Habitat

You will see Northern Flickers in city parks and backyards in the suburbs. You will also find them in woodlands with open trees, burned forests, swamps, and marshes.

The Northern Flicker has a wide range of calls. It has a typical woodpecker-like “drum” and a more musical, gurgling call that is often mistaken for the song of the Red-winged Blackbird.

The Northern Flicker is one of the most common birds in New Jersey.

Song and Call

Drumming

24. Purple Martins

Scientific Name: Progne subis Size: 6 inches

Description and Field Marks

The males are dark blue with a glossy look with black wings and tails while the females are brown with darker brown wings and tails and white breasts.

The Purple Martin is a member of the swallow family. It is not a Martin at all but was named for the color of its back. They are very graceful flyers as they can fly backward, sideways, and even upside down!

Nesting

Purple Martins are very social birds and like to live in colonies. They build their nest’s side by side in the same tree. They will also build nests in birdhouses, especially the “condo” type.

The female lays 3 to 6 white eggs. The incubation period is 15 to 18 days and the young remain in the nets for about a month.

Diet

The Purple Martins get all their food from the air. They drink nectar from flowers, and they eat flying insects.

Habitat

The Purple Martin is a migratory bird. It winters in South America. In the spring, Purple Martins return to North America. If you put a purple martin house in your backyard you will get plenty of Purple Martins. They are in New Jersey for the spring and summer.

Song and Call

Purple Martin colonies are noisy, with birds chattering to each other and making a whirring sound as they fly overhead.

25. Common Grackle

Scientific Name: Quiscalus quiscula Size: 11.0-15.4 inches

Description and Field Marks

The Common Grackle is part of the blackbird family and all blackbirds have iridescent feathers (usually dark blue or purple).

Grackles are often mistaken for crows, but they are much smaller in size and can be distinguished by their long tails and shiny black feathers. They have yellow eyes and their size is larger than a robin.

They are often found in large flocks during the summer months.

Nesting

They nest in colonies and build their nests in trees and bushes that are at least 3 feet off the ground. The female picks the nesting spot and mostly builds them too but the male will help her.

They usually lay 1 to 7 eggs that can be pearl gray, light blue, or dark brown in color however they usually have brown spots. The incubation period is 11 to 15 days and the young will stay in the nest for 10 to 17 days. The common grown has 1 to 2 broods each year.

Grackles are also known as “possum hawks” because they sometimes prey on the eggs of ground-nesting birds like quail, grouse, and pheasants.

Diet

Grackles are omnivores and eat insects, fruits, seeds, and grains. They can often be seen at backyard bird feeders where they will also dine on sunflower seeds and cracked corn.

Grackles are very intelligent birds that sometimes use their beaks to turn over rocks in search of insects. You will also find them find at farm fields where they will eat the seeds from corn and rice.

Habitat

Grackles can be found throughout the United States in parks, yards, open fields, and woodlands. They are very adaptable birds that have learned to thrive in cities where they often find food and water.

The common grackle is a blackbird that is seen in New Jersey during the summertime.

Song and Call

Grackles can also be heard making a wide range of calls that include whistles and rattling sounds.

26. American Robin

Scientific Name: Turdus migratorius  Size: 7.9-11.0 inches

Description And Field Marks

The American Robins has a gray-brown back and wings, with white underparts. It also has a short tail and a pointed bill for catching insects in flight or on the ground. Males have a red patch on their breasts and a black head, throat, and upper chest. Females are duller looking than males with less contrast in colors.

They prefer an open country with scattered trees and shrubs. It is found in a variety of habitats, including farmland, grasslands, parks, yards, and gardens.

Nesting

The American Robin makes its nest in a tree or shrub, usually near water. The female Robin lays four to six eggs and both parents take turns sitting on them. The eggs are solid bright blue in color. The eggs hatch in about two weeks and the chicks leave the nest after another week or so.

Diet

They eat worms and insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and crickets. It also eats fruit and berries in the summer. They don’t do feeders, but love to find bugs and worms in the grass all around your yard.

Habitat

The American Robin is found in eastern North America, from the Maritime Provinces of Canada to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It is also found throughout the United States and southern parts of Canada, including most of Alaska.

The American Robin is a migratory bird that travels south for winter. It returns to the same area each spring.

Song And Call

They are very early-morning singers. Listen for their calls:

27. Common Yellow Throat

Scientific Name: Geothlypis trichas  Size: 4.3-5.1 inches

Description And Field Marks

The Common Yellowthroat is another small songbird that has a long tail and round belly. The males have a dark mask with a yellow throat while the females are browner on their heads with a yellow throat and they do not have any black on them.

Nesting

The female builds the nest usually on the ground under bushes. She lays 1 to 6 white eggs with gray, brown, or black spots on them. The incubation period is 12 days and the young stay in the nest for 12 days.

Diet

Common Yellowthroats eat insects from the ground and off leaves, bushes, and flowers.

Habitat

You will usually see them in dense forests but during migration, you will see them in your backyards. They are in New Jersey during the summer (warmer) months then head south for the winter.

Song And Call

28. American Tree Sparrow

Scientific Name: Spizelloides arborea Size: 5.5 inches

Description and Field marks

The male’s breast is white, while the back and wings are brown and streaked with black. The female is similar in appearance to the male, but she has a brownish-gray breast.

Nesting

It nests in Canada in trees or bushes, building a cup-shaped nest out of grass and twigs. It lays 4 to 6 bluish eyes.

Diet

It eats seeds, berries, and insects.

Habitat

The American tree sparrow makes its way to New Jersey during wintertime, with the first birds appearing in October. It breeds in Canada and Alaska, but it migrates south to the United States for winter.

The American tree sparrow prefers open habitats with grasses and shrubs, such as pastures, parks, fields, and golf courses.

Song and Call

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article about the common backyard birds of New Jersey. For more information on other birds in New Jersey check out ebird.

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