Want to learn the most common backyard birds Colorado? Colorado is a beautiful state and like most places in the United States, it has its own unique bird species. When surveyed and researched, over 507 different types of birds have been identified in Colorado.
This is one of my favorite things about Colorado in the summer – the Colorado backyard birds you get to see and interact with!
Some will hop across your lawn, others will feed on your bird feeders, and still, others will flit around in your trees. There is something so fun about it, and it is even more fun when you know what types of birds you are seeing.
Colorful illustrations make this guide to backyard birding in Colorado a joy to read. Whether you have an entire acre to explore or just a small patio, this article shows you what you need to know to attract birds.
You will learn how to spot the brightest birds and the most elusive songbirds, which insects to watch for, what times of year are best, and how to encourage good wren hunting. This list will help you identify common Colorado backyard birds.
Backyard Birds Colorado
Backyard birding is a fun activity to do in Colorado, but not everyone has the knowledge or the opportunity to enjoy it. If you want to learn how to identify birds and if you want to attract more birds in your yard, then read on.
Here are the Colorado backyard birds:
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Northern Flicker
- Red Winged Blackbird
- House Finch
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird
- Mourning Dove
- American Robin
- House Wren
- Black-Billed Magpie
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Barn Swallow
- European starling
- American Crow
- Yellow warbler
- Blue Jay
- American Goldfinch
- Western Kingbird
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Common Grackle
- Western Meadowlark
Watch More Colorful Colorado Backyard Birds Video
1. Dark-eye Junco
The Dark-eye Junco is a favorite of birders and backyard nature-lovers alike, for good reason. By habit, these little sparrows are neat, and sometimes even flashy.
The male of this western species sports a striking black head with a white central crown stripe, white throat (sometimes a speckled brown/gray “chin strap”), bold white wing patches on otherwise grayish plumage, and a bright white eye-ring.
In the non-breeding season, their throat often takes on a pale gray-brown tint.
Besides these charismatic features, the Dark-eye Junco boasts other nifty traits: they are widespread (wintering throughout much of North America), adaptable (inhabiting forest floors as well as bird feeders), and not picky (feeding on various seeds and weed seeds).
Their overall gray or dark brown color and their obvious white outer tail feathers are their best field marks.
- Length: 5.5-6.3 in (14-16 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-1.1 oz (18-30 g)
- Wingspan: 7.1-9.8 in (18-25 cm)
Dark-eyed Juncos are birds of the coniferous forest, preferring areas with some brushy cover and partially open woods. Their soft scolding call is one of their best attributes for identification. Listen for it before you see them flying overhead.
Backyard Tips for Dark-Eyed Junco
This clever little sparrow, a regular visitor at many bird feeders, forages for weed seeds and small insects on lawns in winter. Be warned; like House Sparrows, this species can be very prolific if not kept in check.
Facts About Dark-Eyed Junco
- Juncos are known as snowbirds of the middle latitudes
- It is one of the most common birds in Colorado and other parts of the US.
- The oldest Dark-eyed Junco lived for at least eleven years, four months
2. Northern Flicker
If you like woodpeckers but do not have wood to provide food, the Northern Flicker is one of the amazing colorado backyard birds that will willingly live with you in the backyard. Every year flickers come through your yard on their way to South America, where they spend winter on the Pacific coast from California to Chile.
They are not shy, so if you see one, walk toward it and listen for a short whistle – you will see it fly up into a high branch and into the leaves for cover. If someone else is around, he or she will probably join in – a flicker whistled at one will whistle back at another. So, you may have fun trying this with a friend.
Northern Flickers can be found throughout most of the United States and southern Canada, frequenting forest edge habitats, often near their favorite food, the ground-cherry. These birds are most easily seen in Summer.
Look for their white rump patches and watch for stiff, rapid wing beats and short flights. Listen for their loud, ringing call and piercing yelp.
Backyard Tips for Northern Flicker
Look for Northern Flickers in large lawns and parks as well as along trails through open woods. Just about any well-treed backyard has a chance of supporting a Northern Flicker.
Prominent red marks on the white outer feathers of their tails help you recognize them easily. Flickers prefer to perch close to the ground, rather than high in the treetops like many other woodpeckers.
Facts About Northern Flicker
- Though the Northern Flicker can climb trees, it prefers finding food on the ground.
- It is a strongly migratory North American woodpecker
- It nests in tree holes
3. Red-winged blackbird
Love to see some of the backyard birds Colorado? With the return of spring, so comes the joyful song that announces its arrival. The Red-winged Blackbird is one of the most abundant birds across North America, and one with a bold color.
- Length: 6.7-9.1 in (17-23 cm)
- Weight: 1.1-2.7 oz (32-77 g)
- Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)
Look for the male Red-winged Blackbird’s glossy black body and glossy red shoulder patches. In flight look for the rusty wings, which are usually held in a triangular shape.
He will be hanging around his territory during the breeding season, singing his conk-la-lee song from perches at the tops of trees. The female is streaky brown overall, but with a reddish breast in breeding condition, and she does not have the male’s shoulder patches.
The Red-winged Blackbird is a familiar sight perched atop cattails, along soggy roadsides, and on telephone wires, where they like to sing their cheery song.
Backyard Tips For Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbirds are not the most colorful birds, but they make up for it with their charismatic personalities. They are very social birds that like to hang out with one another, and even raise their young together in communal nests.
They also come to yards with mixed grains and seeds; if you have a flat area where they can land, try spreading grain or seed on the ground to attract them!
Facts About Red-winged Blackbird
- Red-winged blackbirds are highly polygynous.
- Male Red-winged blackbirds always defend their territories, especially during breeding season.
- According to the record, the oldest Red-winged blackbird was fifteen years, nine months old.
4. House Finch
How about a red bird for your next house? The bright red head and breast of males, and the bird’s long, twittering song make it easy to identify. You can find one at the next bird feeder you come across because it is now found in most neighborhoods in Colorado.
- Length: 5.1-5.5 in (13-14 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-0.9 oz (16-27 g)
- Wingspan: 7.9-9.8 in (20-25 cm)
They fly around quickly, often hang upside down when they are looking at seeds or suet, and they chirp their sweet song repeatedly.
The House Finch is one of the backyard birds Colorado that is an extremely sociable bird that flocks in winter and nests communally in trees or shrubs. In summer, this finch moves into urban and suburban areas, where it feeds on human food at window trays, backyard feeders, and other backyard birding sites.
Its small size enables it to nest in gardens and shrubbery under power lines.
Backyard Tips For House Finch
If you love to feed birds and watch them at your feeders, try to attract House Finches.
This small finch is easy to attract to your yard with black oil sunflower seeds, and because the birds fly in flocks and dart around a bit, they provide more entertainment than other types of birds do. Each House Finch male sings and has his own song.
Facts About House Finch
- Originally, House finch was a bird of Mexico and western United states
- The House Finch’s red pigments contained in its food during molt
- The oldest House Finch was at least eleven years, seven months and it was a female.
5. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Seductive hummingbirds with rose-magenta throats and stunning aerial displays live in the high mountains of the West. In addition to their gorgeous colors and song, males also have special adaptations that help them survive long, cold nights in the winter.
- Length: 3.1-3.5 in (8-9 cm)
- Weight: 0.1-0.2 oz (2.8-4.5 g)
Because these Colorado backyard birds spend only a short amount of time in each summer location, it is impossible to see all the places where Broad-tailed Hummingbirds live in Colorado.
However, there are three spots you can certainly check out:
1) Stop at forest openings and meadows that are filled with flowers. This is where you will often hear hummingbird songs.
2) Check out feeders. Hummingbirds will go to the same spots from summer to summer, so visiting a feeder will get you familiar with Broad-tailed Hummingbirds’ return locations.
3) While in the mountains, stop at lookout points to see the birds as they fly by. Good luck!
Backyard Tips for Broad-tailed Hummingbird
If you live around the location where broad-tailed hummingbird is, putting up a sugar-water feeder may bring them to your yard and allow you to watch one in your yard. A ratio of one part table sugar dissolved in four parts water is recommended.
Planting flowers in your backyard is another way to entice hummingbirds while also adding splendor to your yard.
Facts About Broad-tailed Hummingbird
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird enters a slowed metabolic state on very cold nights
- They are very aggressive and energetic bird species.
- The oldest Broad-tailed Hummingbird was twelve years, two months old.
6. Mourning Dove
Backyard Birds Kentucky” class=”wp-image-897″/>Throughout Colorado and North America, the Mourning Dove is found in a variety of habitats. Their numbers are replenished by the high rate of reproduction and their ability to successfully adapt to a wide variety of habitats and locations.
Male
- Length: 9.1-13.4 in (23-34 cm)
- Weight: 3.4-6.0 oz (96-170 g)
- Wingspan: 17.7 in (45 cm)
Female
- Weight: 3.0-5.5 oz (86-156 g)
- Wingspan: 17.7 in (45 cm)
A graceful and slender-tailed, small-headed dove that is common across the continent, the Mourning Dove is an abundant game bird. It forages for seeds and lives in an open habitat consisting of fields, pastures, and rank growth. The soft, drawn-out calls of these doves sound like laments.
Their flight is fast and bullet straight; their wings make a sharp whistling or whinnying noise when taking off. They nest on the ground in dense cover and can be found in large flocks in winter with members of the same or other species as well as with Blue jays.
Mourning Doves, with their unmistakable mourning call, are a common sight in suburban neighborhoods. Perched on telephone wires and similar perches throughout the day to search for seeds and insects.
If you want to see these Colorado backyard birds, keep an eye open for Mourning Doves on the ground; they gather in large flocks to eat and exchange calls. They also roost communally in large numbers at night.
Backyard Tips For Mourning Dove
This sparrow-like bird is most often found foraging low to the ground, finding crashed insects by sight or sound.
They also eat fruits, berries, and grain seeds. Mourning Doves are one of the few birds that seem to prefer feeding on the ground; this habit makes them vulnerable to cats, dogs, and other predators.
Their nest is a flimsy platform built from twigs and grasses. It is placed on a tree limb or in dense brush. If a Mourning Dove does not have enough nesting sites around your home, consider putting up an appropriate nest box – they readily use them when they are available.
Facts About Morning Dove
- You might see three of these Mourning Doves flying tightly during the breeding season
- Mourning Doves feed on the ground more than most birds
- Morning dove can drink brackish spring water to survive
- They are the most widespread birds in North America
- The oldest Morning Dove was thirty years, four months old
7. American Robin
They are a familiar sight at both town and city lawns, where residents often see them pulling Earthworms out of the ground. American Robins are popular birds for their cheery song, warm orange breast and early appearance at the end of winter.
It is the early bird that catches the worm! American Robins are common urban birds, and they work hard to provide your lawn or garden with healthy new growth. The smart little birds often start their day before sunrise when temperatures are still low.
- Length: 7.9-11.0 in (20-28 cm)
- Weight: 2.7-3.0 oz (77-85 g)
- Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)
After you have had your cup of coffee and a few hours to watch the world come to life, head out for an early morning stroll to catch one of these industrious garden helpers at work. Bring your camera for some closeups!
The American Robin is an iconic bird of the eastern United States. Watch for them running across lawns or standing on a fence post inspecting the world around them.
Their elongated bodies have distinctive multi-colored patterns and their pale gray bills can appear yellowish, particularly in spring and summer.
In winter these Colorado backyard birds may disappear from your lawn but could still be around. Look for flocks of them in treetops and around fruiting trees and listen for their low cuck notes.
Backyard Tips For American Robin
The American robin is a thrush often found in the woods and fields. Although they can be harder to attract than other birds, a well-constructed nest box with a panorama window can draw these birds in.
Facts about American Robin
- American Robin can produce three broods in just a year
- They eat a lot of fruit in winter and fall
- They also eat worms in the morning and fruit later in the day.
- The oldest American Robin was thirteen years, eleven months old.
8. House Wren
House Wrens are plain brown Colorado backyard birds with effervescent voices. These common backyard birds Colorado breed from the southern United States to the southeastern coast of South America.
With its zippy rush-and-jumble song and active nature, the House Wren deserves a place in your backyard.
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (10-12 g)
- Wingspan: 5.9 in (15 cm)
The secret to attracting this starling-sized bird is habitat—most House Wrens live close to humans, in brushy areas near wires. Playing host to this species is easy—just let a pile of twigs dry out on the ground or build it a box.
The small, plump House Wren is a surprisingly bold and playful bird. Family groups will often hang out on the edges of backyard ponds, digging for insect larvae.
They are common feeder visitors who are fascinated by shiny objects. These busy little birds are found over nearly the entire Western Hemisphere, where they tend to live in more suburban and rural settings, not tropical rainforests as one might expect.
House Wrens are not shy about singing away from their nests, and if you’re in the right habitat (backyards, parks, and open woods) you should be able to hear the male’s rollicking song: a cheerful scree-e-eee-tee-tee-tee followed by a rapid staccato trill—seet-wonk, seet-wonk—that slows in speed like a record played at the wrong speed.
Backyard Tips For House Wren
If you need to prune trees or cut brush in your yard, consider heaping the cuttings into a pile as a safe place for House Wren to gather. This can be fun. Making brush piles is also an effortless way to remove potential fire hazards.
Attracting birds is great for gardens, but it is also rewarding for people who have grown accustomed to seeing fewer bird species in their neighborhoods. Nest boxes will also attract House wren.
Facts about House Wren
- House Wrens nest inside nest boxes and tree holes
- House Wren is one of the backyard birds Colorado with the largest ranges in the New World
- Temperature inside Wren’s nest box can be very important for its eggs
- The oldest House Wren was nine years old.
9. Black-billed Magpie
The black-billed magpie is an important and delightful bird of western North America, recognizable by its long, spectacular tail and distinctive call.
With striking white wing patches, the black-billed magpie spends much of its time on fenceposts or road signs—or winging across rangelands gathering in flocks of a dozen or more to feed at carrion. It is also intensely social and spends much time performing displays.
- Length: 17.7-23.6 in (45-60 cm)
- Weight: 5.1-7.4 oz (145-210 g)
- Wingspan: 22.1-24.0 in (56-61 cm)
Black-billed Magpies are noisy and conspicuous, making them easy to see and hear. Not to be confused with their smaller relatives the Black-capped Chickadee or Tufted Titmouse, this bold bird has a wide range of habitats, including forests, grasslands, deserts, farmlands, and even urban areas.
Backyard Tips For Black-billed Magpie
With a gorgeous black and white coloration pattern, the Black-billed Magpie is easy to identify. The Black-billed Magpie’s diet consists mainly of insects and other invertebrates, but they will also eat seeds and nuts.
They will even perch at the tops of trees to eat fruit, such as acorns and apples. attract them to your yard with a suet feeder and bird feeder.
Facts About Black-billed Magpie
- Black-billed Magpie can spend 40 days to make a very large nest
- According to history, it has been associating with people for a very long time
- Black-billed Magpie is a nest predator
- The oldest Black-billed Magpie lived in Idaho and was nine years, four months old
10. Black-capped Chickadee
Backyard Birds” class=”wp-image-1098″/>The Black-capped Chickadee is a familiar bird to most Americans. This cuddly and friendly little bird is a native that sings in spring, summer, and fall.
The distinctive chickadee’s black cap and bib; gray back and tail, and wings; white cheeks and whitish underside with buffy sides make it one of the most beautiful Colorado backyard birds. Easy to identify, fun to watch, and always “cute” – the chickadee is an excellent bird to attract to your yard.
- Length: 4.7-5.9 in (12-15 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.5 oz (9-14 g)
- Wingspan: 6.3-8.3 in (16-21 cm)
So easy to care for, they are among the first birds that people learn to recognize. As backyard visitors, they eat insect pests like aphids and grubs and depending on their breeding range they also feed on grain or berries in winter.
Backyard Tips For Black-capped Chickadee
It is easy to attract chickadees to your yard with hanging feeders and dishes filled with Nyjer seed, sunflower, peanut, or suet.
Facts About Black-capped Chickadee
- Black-capped Chickadee is a wise bird that reserves seeds and other food items for later days
- It lets brain neurons with old information die every autumn
- Several birds love associating with Black-capped Chickadee
- The oldest Black-capped Chickadee was eleven years, six months old.
11. Barn Swallow
The thrilling sight of a Barn Swallow in flight is only one of the reasons to make it a part of your nature-loving family. The Barn Swallow’s distinctive tail feathers were long prized by Native Americans, who used them for ornamentation and ritual dance costumes.
Look for the long, deeply forked tail that streams out behind this agile flyer and sets it apart from all other North American swallows. Barn Swallows are often seen cruising low over fields and marshes, where they hunt flying insects.
They build their mud nests almost exclusively on human-made structures, including barns, bridges, culverts, under highway overpasses—just about any place they can find a suitable ledge.
Once established in an area, they gather building materials with their bills at dusk; in the morning they add their eggs and off they go to feed.
- Length: 5.9-7.5 in (15-19 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-0.7 oz (17-20 g)
- Wingspan: 11.4-12.6 in (29-32 cm)
Look for Barn Swallows feeding in farmyards, above meadows, fields and over water, or perched on wires. During the summer, watch for males and females performing aerial courtship flights, a spectacular sight.
Barn Swallows build their nests with grasses, hair, and feathers in large colonies beneath overhanging structures. They will sometimes re-use old nests from other birds. Their thick mud nests are often found on structures near barns, fishing piers on lakes and near bridges.
Backyard Tips For Barn Swallow
Invite Barn Swallows to your yard with a ground-up eggshell, oyster shell, or mud source; they do not use conventional birdhouses. Provide a small platform feeder to increase their numbers and help reduce insect populations around your home.
Facts About Barn Swallow
- An unmated male Barn Swallow may kill the nestlings of a nesting pair
- Barn Swallow is the most extensively distributed and abundant swallow species in the world
- Other birds used to help Barn Swallow to feed their younger ones.
- The oldest Barn Swallow was ten years old
12. European Starling
Despite the many naysayers, starlings are a welcome sight every time of the year. The robust blackbirds delight with their sky wheeling, their flocks’ winter whiteness and their vocal clamor throughout the summer.
Their coloration bears some resemblance to the smoked meat they sometimes eat in North America; both are dark and glossy. Though slightly smaller than native robins, they are territorial creatures who get noisier by the year as their numbers increase.
- Length: 7.9-9.1 in (20-23 cm)
- Weight: 2.1-3.4 oz (60-96 g)
- Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)
Though they are sometimes hated for their great quantity and violence, they are still amazing birds when you get a good look.
Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer. For much of the year, they wheel through the sky and mob lawns in big, noisy flocks.
With its unmistakable song, a European Starling is an amazing sight to see up close. As you get your binoculars ready, you will see plenty of these birds as they move across the lawns and fields looking for food in groups of twos or threes.
Backyard Tips For European Starling
The European Starling is a blackbird with white speckling on the wings. It is a very common short-distance migrant in the United States and Canada, occurring everywhere except the southwest.
This species often comes to bird feeders. You can attract them to your bird feeder with suet or black sunflower seed.
Facts About European Starling
- European Starlings in North America are descendant of one hundred birds released in New York’s Central Park early 1890s
- All European starlings are closely related
- They are great vocal mimics
- They are strong fliers
- The oldest European starling was fifteen years, three months
13. American Crow
American Crows are large, noisy birds that consume almost anything from earthworms to garbage. They usually feed on the ground and eat almost anything—typically insects, earthworms and other small animals, seeds, and fruit; also, carrion, garbage, and chicks they rob from nests.
They normally live in open habitats ranging from fields to pine woods, although they inhabit just about any urban setting in North America. They are known for their intelligence: used extensively in television and film roles demanding smart birds.
American Crows are moderately sized, carrion eaters that stand out in a crowd, literally. Their jet-black bodies and bright white belly and face contrast prominently with the muted tones of branches and trees.
- Length: 15.8-20.9 in (40-53 cm)
- Weight: 11.2-21.9 oz (316-620 g)
- Wingspan: 33.5-39.4 in (85-100 cm)
The bill is long, peaked and slightly hooked. Legs and feet are grey-black giving the birds a well-balanced look when perched.
If you have never seen an eagle up close, an American Crow may be the best substitute! It is often seen and heard in cemeteries, parks, landfills, city dumps, manicured lawns, campgrounds, and other open areas.
Backyard Tips for American Crow
American crows do not normally visit feeders, but if you are willing to provide a mix of trees, food, and open space for the birds, you can attract them to your backyard. You can also attract them with peanuts left in an open place. Crows are also attracted by garbage and compost that they can feed on.
Facts About American Crow
- American crows are known to congregate in numbers in winter to sleep in communal roosts
- American Crows only breed when they are at least two years old
- The oldest American Crow was seventeen years, five months
14. Yellow Warbler
The Yellow Warbler is a common visitor to summer gardens and woodland edges in almost all North America.
In summer, look for the Yellow Warbler bubbly songs, written ta-teeuuu. The bright yellow males have a chestnut breast streak, while females and immatures are duller overall and lack streaking, but the eye stripe stands out on all birds.
- Length: 4.7-5.1 in (12-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (9-11 g)
- Wingspan: 6.3-7.9 in (16-20 cm)
The Yellow Warbler is one of the easiest birds to see in your yard throughout the year. Common and widespread, you can watch them from early April through late August when their breeding season is at its peak.
Keep your eyes on green willow trees, thickets and hedgerows for the definitive buttery yellow male, but do not forget to look for their dark-eyed females too!
Backyard Tips For Yellow Warbler
What do you do if your yard is not large, or the only trees in your yard are small? If you have good reason to believe that the answer is “Yellow Warbler”, try visiting a larger property nearby.
If you can find a reliable source of near-stream woodlands, you may be able to persuade one to spend a few days there. If so, it will likely be worth your while to plant some small trees — as well as native shrubs and vines — in your own yard.
Facts About Yellow Warblers
- Brown-headed Cowbirds usually parasitized Yellow Warbler nests
- The oldest Yellow Warbler was eleven years old
15. Blue Jay
The perky crest, deep blue-black and white plumage, and noisy calls instantly set the Blue Jay apart from other birds. It is also widely recognized for its intelligence and complex social systems with amazing family bonds.
Listen for their distinctive “see-hear” vocalization or their unique rattle call and you can be sure to find them in your garden or backyard!
- Length: 9.8-11.8 in (25-30 cm)
- Weight: 2.5-3.5 oz (70-100 g)
- Wingspan: 13.4-16.9 in (34-43 cm)
The Blue Jay is an opportunistic feeder and one of the common Colorado backyard birds. It will eat fruit, seeds, grains, nuts, as well as small rodents. Watch for them at feeders where they can be very persistent and become quite tame. A better chance of seeing blue jays is to watch their daily activities at the edge of forests, in meadows, fields and parks.
Backyard Tips For Blue Jay
The Blue Jay likes to live in chains of trees next to open areas like fields, parks, yards, and forest edges. Their favorite foods include acorns, grubs, crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders.
They tend to be fearless around humans during nesting season because they have no natural predators in the parks they inhabit. Peanuts, suet and sunflower seeds will attract Blue Jay to your backyard.
Planting oak trees will make acorns available for jays of the future. Blue Jays often take drinks from birdbaths.
Facts about Blue Jay
- Although we know that Blue Jays migrate in thousands, much about their migration remains unknown
- Blue Jay devours eggs of other birds and take their nestlings
- The oldest Blue Jay was twenty-six years, eleven months old
16. American Goldfinch
This handsome little finch is welcome and common at feeders, where it takes primarily sunflower and Nyjer. Goldfinches often flock with Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls.
- Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.7 oz (11-20 g)
- Wingspan: 7.5-8.7 in (19-22 cm)
Spring males are brilliant yellow and shiny black with a bit of white. Females in the winter are duller but can be identified by their conical bill; wing-bars; pointed, notched tail; and lack of streaking. They usually look bizarrely patchy during molts.
The American Goldfinch was chosen as the “State Bird” of Vermont in 1931. Goldfinches are easy to find throughout much of North America, except in deep forests. These Colorado backyard birds are most abundant near feeders and in areas with thistle plants.
Backyard Tips For American Goldfinch
Most feeders can be filled with cracked corn and millet, two of their favorites. American Goldfinches also like black-oil sunflower seeds, as well as Nyjer seed from finch feeders. They prefer to eat on the ground but will happily perch on hanging feeders.
To encourage them into your yard, plant native thistles and other composite plants, as well as native milkweed.
Facts About American Goldfinch
- American Goldfinch breeds later than many of the Colorado backyard birds
- They are one of the strictest vegetarian birds
- The oldest American Goldfinch was ten years, nine months old
17. Western Kingbird
A familiar summertime sight in open habitats across western North America, Western Kingbird is a midsized flycatcher with an all-black tail contrasting with bright white outer tail feathers. Its black bill has a red base and distinctive white edges on the mandibles, and its head and breast are light gray to ashy blue.
- Length: 7.9-9.4 in (20-24 cm)
- Weight: 1.3-1.6 oz (37-46 g)
- Wingspan: 15.0-16.1 in (38-41 cm)
The crown is distinctly hued, ranging from olive-gray to rusty red or purple.
Western Kingbirds breed in open habitats across western North America from southern Alaska to central Mexico. They migrate from the northern parts of their range, but they are permanent residents (not migrants) in some tropical regions.
Western Kingbirds perch on shrubs, trees, fence posts, and power lines; this makes them easy to find along roadsides.
Backyard Tips For Western Kingbird
The Western Kingbird is a catcher of insects and eater of fruits and berries in the diet. This bird occupies open areas with scattered trees, backyards, pastures, or farmland, where it can watch and catch flying insects. It nests in old tree cavities that they enlarge themselves, or in fence posts or cactus plants.
Facts About Western Kingbird
- Western Kingbirds are popularly known as birds of the west, but they do wander during fall migration
- This bird was originally named Arkansas Kingbird before scientists changed its name to Western Kingbird
- The oldest Western Kingbird was six years, eleven months
18. Eurasian Collared-Dove
The Eurasian Collared-Dove is a large pigeon with a stocky conical bill and dark, almost crow-like eyes. It has a pale neck demarcated by a wide black half collar.
- Length: 11.4-11.8 in (29-30 cm)
- Weight: 4.9-6.3 oz (140-180 g)
- Wingspan: 13.8 in (35 cm)
The upper parts are grey, the underparts are white with heavy black spotting on the breast, flanks and belly. The central tail feathers are brown tipped with pale gray and have broad white tips.
Birds in fresh plumage have bronzed flight feathers. They make their presence known with their rolling coo or calm ter-tah calls. This species is one of the most common backyard birds Colorado.
Backyard Tips For Eurasian Collared-Dove
Attract Eurasian Collared-Doves to your backyard with a combination of millet, platform feeders and birdbaths with the added benefit of a mirror or shiny object placed near the suet feeder. These Colorado backyard birds will be drawn to their reflection on the surface of the water, where they will find your suet.
Facts About Eurasian Collared dove
- Eurasian Collared-Dove feeds its chicks with fat and protein-rich crop milk
- This bird drinks head down as though drinking with a straw
- The oldest Eurasian Collared-Dove was thirteen years, eight months
19. Common Grackle
This is a tough-looking blackbird, with a long-tapered bill, glossy brilliant blue-black body and longer, more slender tail than that of the typical blackbird.
- Length: 11.0-13.4 in (28-34 cm)
- Weight: 2.6-5.0 oz (74-142 g)
- Wingspan: 14.2-18.1 in (36-46 cm)
At home, on farms and in cities, you will find them in flocks foraging in fields or high up in trees: wear red or yellow at your peril. They will eat just about anything including crops such as corn, but they can also be quite destructive to property and plants.
The Common Grackle is a medium-size grackle that frequents wet, open woodland, marshes, suburbs, parks, and agricultural fields.
Backyard Tips For Common Grackle
Throughout the year, you might see the Common Grackle at backyard bird feeders, but in summer and fall, this familiar bird can also be a backyard conservationist.
In autumn, hungry grackles that have migrated from northern habitats rely on backyard bird feeders for extra meals as they head south to winter homes. During migration, it is important that pet owners and homeowners offer food to their backyard birds – especially to hungry migrating grackles.
This makes it possible for smaller birds that winter in your area to continue feeding at your feeders instead of skirting past these areas to hunt bugs and get the nutrition they need. Attract Common Grackle with grains or seeds.
Facts about Common Grackle
- Grackles are the biggest corn threat but not many people know this.
- They are resourceful foragers
- The oldest Common Grackle was twenty-three years old
20. Western Meadowlark
The Western Meadowlark is a remarkable bird known for its distinctive call and bright yellow breast crossed by a bold black V.
- Length: 6.3-10.2 in (16-26 cm)
- Weight: 3.1-4.1 oz (89-115 g)
- Wingspan: 16.1 in (41 cm)
Look for this extroverted songbird in meadows, pastures, and marshes from the western prairies to the Great Plains. Also, take note of their unique flute-like song that can sound like a cross between a video and a thrush.
Found in open grasslands, meadows, and fields of low-growing vegetation across the West in summer, the male sings from the tops of fence posts and shrubs or perches on fences and powerlines.
Backyard Tips For Western Meadowlark
Western Meadowlarks are ground dwellers that prefer to eat insects and seeds. They may come to your backyard if you make food available.
Facts about Western Meadowlark
- Western Meadowlark nest is usually partially covered by a grass roof
- It uses a feed behavior called gaping
- The oldest Western Meadowlark was six years, six months old.
Colorado Backyard Birds FAQs
What are The Common Backyard Birds Colorado?
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Northern Flicker
- Red Winged Blackbird
- House Finch
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird
- Mourning Dove
- American Robin
- House Wren
- Black-Billed Magpie
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Barn Swallow
- European starling
- American Crow
- Yellow warbler
- Blue Jay
- American Goldfinch
- Western Kingbird
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Common Grackle
- Western Meadowlark
When Should I Stop Feeding My Backyard Birds?
You should discontinue feeding wild birds after Easter because it is not good to overfeed your Colorado backyard birds.
How Often should You Feed Backyard Birds Colorado?
During the nesting season, some people refill their bird feeders many times a day but some refill it once a week, while other refill bird feeders monthly. So, it all depends on you but you should make your backyard birds friendly.
What Is The Most Aggressive Backyard birds Colorado?
Blue Jays are probably the most aggressive Colorado backyard birds. You will see them preventing other birds from eating and dive-bombing other birds. In fact, Blue Jay can mimic hawk’s intimidating calls.
What Is The State Bird Of Colorado?
The state bird of Colorado is Lark Bunting.
How Many species Of Birds Are There In Colorado?
The backyard birds Colorado are more than 507 species.
What Is The Most Common Bird seen In Colorado?
American Robin is the most seen and most common bird in Colorado.
Conclusion
If you are looking for ways to watch Colorado backyard birds, then now is an excellent time. Do not forget to visit your favorite local nature preserve. The best time of year to watch birds in Colorado is in the springtime when many distinct species are returning to the state to breed.
It is the time of the year backyard birds Colorado are very busy preparing nests and tending to their young. So, take your binoculars and go out there to see your favorite Colorado backyard birds with your friends.