40 Most Common Backyard Birds in Ontario Canada

Few things in nature stir the imagination like backyard birds in Ontario. From American Robin to Black-capped Chickadee, many species visit our bird feeders in Ontario every season.

While there are hundreds of different types or species of backyard birds in Ontario, we will only discuss forty common Ontario birds.

Are you ready to take a tour of the backyards, farms, and woodlands of Ontario to find forty common Ontario birds?

Everyone has a favorite bird, but some birds are our neighbors almost every day. How many have visited your backyard?

Even if you only live in your neighborhood, chances are you’ll find most of these forty backyard birds near your home in Ontario.

This guide includes everything from hot-colored cardinals and blue jays to fashionable finches, rare hummingbirds, and stealthy owls.

40 Most Common Backyard Birds in Ontario Canada

1. Blue Jay
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. American Robin
4. American Goldfinch
5. American Crow
6. Downy Woodpecker
7. European starling
8. Northern Cardinal
9. Mourning Dove
10. Red-winged Blackbird
11. Song Sparrow
12. Common Grackle
13. Chipping sparrow
14. Common Yellowthroat
15. White-breasted Nuthatch
16. House sparrow
17. Dark-eyed Junco
18. Wild Peacocks
19. Hairy Woodpecker
20. Red-breasted Nuthatch
21. Barn swallow
22. Northern Flicker
23. Tree Swallow
24. Grey Catbird
25. Eastern Kingbird
26. Baltimore Oriole
27. White-throated Sparrow
28. House Finch
29. Red-bellied woodpecker
30. Brown-headed Cowbird
31. Common Redpoll
32. Pine siskin
33. Rock Pigeon
34. Evening Grosbeak
35. Pileated Woodpecker
36. Cooper’s Hawk
37. Carolina Wren
38. Purple Finch
39. Cedar Waxwing
40. Yellow Warbler

1. Blue Jay

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The blue jay is one of the most common backyard birds in Ontario and is commonly referred to as a “jaybird.”

Blue jays can be identified by their blue and white feathers, black cap, and loud call. It frequently chirps whenever a hawk or other predator is nearby.

This bird species is common in areas with exposed soil and rocky cliffs. Its beauty makes it a favored companion of photographers. The bird is also shy, making it the best bird for bird watchers.

Blue jay feeds on seeds but loves sunflower seeds more. It also eats berries, carrion, worms, insects, and suet. 

2. Black-capped Chickadee

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Known for its cuteness, tiny body and big round head, Black-capped Chickadee is a bird that will cheerfully feed in your backyard and investigate everything around your home, including you.

This species of bird can be found in parks, open woods, and forests. They feed on suet, spiders, insects, seeds, and berries.

Want to attract Black-capped Chickadees to your backyard? Try sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, or peanut butter.

3. American Robin

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When you hear Robin, your mind will probably go straight to Robin Hood, well that’s not it! The American Robin is a little bird that is naturally shy and loves wooded areas.

They are migratory birds, migrating from southern states to the colder parts of Mexico and Canada in winter and always returning to the north in the summer.

American Robin can be found foraging for food along roads and on the flooded fields searching for earthworms and small insects. They are herbivores that eat insects, leaves and berries.

4. American Goldfinch

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The American goldfinch is one of the smallest backyard birds in Ontario Canada. They are commonly found in large flocks throughout southern Canada, the US and central Mexico.

They can be found in weedy and overgrown environments looking for thistle, sunflower, and aster plants. You can also find them in the parks, backyards, and suburbs.

If you want to attract American Goldfinches to your backyard, try planting milkweed and thistles.

5. American Crow

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Very vibrant and colorful bird, American Crow is one of the most common Ontario birds. They are commonly found nesting in trees in the backyards or even along the roadsides.

American Crows are active birds and constantly on the lookout for new types of food. They feed on seeds, scraps, and suet. In fact, they are entertaining to watch and bird watchers always love them as they creatively attack feeders for food they love.

6. Downy Woodpecker

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Known for its stripped face, spotted wings and white back, Downy woodpecker is the smallest North American woodpecker. The male’s bold red patch is easily recognizable, and the small, stubby bill is easily seen in both males and females.

Downey woodpeckers love to visit yards with mature trees and wooded habitats. If you want them in your backyard, you can attract them with suet feeders.

7. European starling

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Known as gregarious birds with a short tail, European starlings are first introduced to America in 1890 and are now one of the most populous birds in America.

For their large numbers and appetites for seeds, many backyard birders consider them to be bully birds. However, European Starlings will easily visit ground feeders and platforms, and may often be seen along the ground looking for spilled grains, seeds, and insects.

8. Northern Cardinal

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Commonly called, cardinal or redneck, Northern Cardinal can be found in places like Ontario, New York, Quebec, Oklahoma, etc.

Not only can these birds visit your backyard and make your environment entertaining but can also be found in the forest on top of rocky cliffs or near rivers and lakes, where they look for aquatic insects and larva.

Northern Cardinals are commonly found in gardens, backyards, parks, wetlands, and woodlands. They love eating berries, fruits, and insects such as cicadas, snails, beetles, and grasshoppers.

9. Mourning Dove

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The name might sound somehow but Mourning Dove is a beautiful bird. The species is known for many names including rain dove, turtle dove, wetland and of course, mourning dove.

This bird is now popular in Ontario, Canada, Florida, etc. It is a frequent visitor to urban areas, fields, parks, farm fields, resorts, and residential neighborhoods.

Mourning Dove feeds on sunflower seeds, sesame, wheat, pokeberry, safflower, rapeseed, millet, and corns.

10. Red-Winged Blackbird

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The gorgeous Red-winged Blackbird is a medium-sized passerine bird with red wings. It commonly visits homes and gardens in the winter because of its short flight time and constant flights throughout the year.

These birds are highly adaptable and can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They love eating and playing in the coastal plain near bays and saltwater marshes.

Red-Winged Blackbird feeds on seeds and insects such as moths, dragonflies, and butterflies. They also eat worms, frogs, carrions, snails, flies, and spiders.

11. Song Sparrow

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Known for attracting their mates with their songs in the spring and summer, Song sparrows are remarkable backyard birds predominantly brown-streaked. You can find them in open places, wet areas, and shrubby areas. 

Song Sparrow can also be found in your backyard singing melodious songs. They eat plants and insects including spiders, midges, caterpillars, and earthworms. These beautiful birds will also eat wild cherries, wheat, rice, blackberries, buckwheat, raspberries, and sunflower.

To attract song sparrows to your backyard and enjoy their songs, use cracked corn, black oil sunflower seeds and Nyjer.

12. Common Grackle

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If you love to hear the songs from Common Grackle, they will always give them to you for free. Common Grackles are one of the most common backyard birds in Ontario, Canada and always gather in noisy groups high up the trees.

Their habitat includes open woodlands, fields, parks, marshes, and backyards. Unfortunately, if you invite them to9 your backyard and they come in millions, their noise can be ridiculous.

You can invite them to your backyard with mixed grain and seed.

13. Chipping Sparrow

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Slender and long-tailed, Chipping Sparrows have brown and black-streaked back, grayish belly, black eye line and rusty crown. These colors are more subdued in winter.

Chipping Sparrow can be found in small flocks on open ground and may come to your backyard to eat various kinds of birdseed.

14. Common Yellowthroat

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Bright yellow underneath and brownish backside, Common Yellowthroat are small songbirds with long tails. The male has a black mask across its face and the brightness of the yellow in their color vary geographically.

Common Yellowthroat can be found in the north Canada during the spring and summer. They eat insects and love to stay in a large backyard with dense vegetation.

15. White-breasted Nuthatch

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White-breasted Nuthatch gets its name from its white breast and its ability to wedge food items in a crevice and open them with its strong bills. These bird species is mostly found flocking with other birds’ species during winter. They are also found in monogamous pair.

White-breasted Nuthatch can be found in woodland, parks, and backyard. If you love to attract them to your backyard, you can use sunflower seeds, suet, mealworms, and peanuts.

16. House Sparrow

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The house sparrow is a good bird found in all parts of North America. They are also found in many parts of Canada, Russia, and even northern Germany. These birds have a narrow incisor beak they use to break open fruits and pick small seeds.

House sparrow has a high intelligence and are social. They live in urban centers, edges, yards, suburban areas, parks, and backyards.

To attract them to your backyard, they love seeds, insects, earthworms, vertebrates, crustaceans, aphids, caterpillars, and grasshoppers.

17. Dark-eyed Junco

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An elegant and delicate bird found in central to southern Canada, Dark-eyed Junco seems to prefer gardens with small open areas like meadows.

The most common food they eat is seed (sunflower seeds) and nectar, as well as caraway. So, you can attract them to your backyard with sunflower seeds.

18. Wild Peacocks

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Wild Peacocks have been sighted in Ontario many times and they are a remarkable sight. Their diet includes grains, berries, reptiles, small rodents and even snakes.

Their loud annoying call is unmistakable and once you hear their calls, you will know it immediately.

19. Hairy Woodpecker

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Hairy Woodpecker looks like Downy Woodpecker, but they have a long bill and are slightly larger. They can be found in large trees and in the backyards. If you care to listen carefully, you can hear them tapping.

These birds mostly eat insects, spiders, caterpillars, beetles, bees, wasps, peanut, etc.

You can attract them to your backyard with suet feeders, peanut, and black oil sunflower seeds.

20. Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch

You will find Red-breasted Nuthatch all year round in Ontario Canada but most of them usually move to North America in winter if cone crops are poor. These birds have black and white strips on their heads and a rusty underside.

To attract them to your backyard and watch them, you can use black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, mealworms, and suet feeders.

21. Barn Swallow

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Barn swallows are beautiful birds with a deep-blue black, tail and wings, and they have reddish-brown across their face and underneath. They can be seen flying over meadows, fields and farms searching for insects.

To attract these backyard birds in Ontario to your backyard, put up nest boxes or cups with some seeds inside.

22. Northern Flicker

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Northern Flickers are between the size of a crow and a robin. They have brownish coloring, black spots, bars and red and crescent on their nape. They have a bright yellow color underside of their wing feathers and tails.

You can find them looking for beetles and ants in forest edges or woods. You can attract them to your place with suet and black oil sunflower seeds.

23. Tree Swallow

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Tree Swallows are little birds with blue-green color on the back and white underside. The females are browner in color while their males have gray wings. When they are migrating, they can form huge flock in thousands.

They can be found near water, marshes, fields and in wooded swamps. To attract them to your backyard, use nest boxes because they like to take to them.

24. Grey Catbird

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Gray Catbirds are known for their catty mew song which can last for 10 minutes. Because of that, they are named Catbirds. They are medium-sized birds with black cap and tail, slate grey coloring, and a reddish patch under the tails.

These birds are common in Ontario, and you can spot them in dense shrubs, along forest edges, in small trees or hedgerows.

To attract Gray Catbirds to your backyard, try fruit trees, fruits or shrubs like serviceberry, winterberry, and dogwood.

25. Eastern Kingbird

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Known for their blackish backside, Eastern kingbirds are medium-sized birds with white coloring underside them. They have a white tip on their tail and their heads are darker black. The king in their name is a result of their aggression when defending their nest and to each other.

Eastern Kingbirds usually breed in orchards, fields and along forest edges. They catch insects in the midair and eat. They also eat fruits, such as cherries, elderberries, blackberries, and serviceberries.

26. Baltimore Oriole

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Beautiful and friendly, Baltimore Oriole adult males are bright orange in color and have a mix of black and white color on their wings. The females are yellowish on head and underneath and grayish brown on their wings. Their size is almost that of Robin but are slenderer.

Baltimore Oriole can be found on forest edges, woodland and riverbanks foraging for fruit and insects. The also like to go to parks and backyards. They eat different kinds of fruits including raspberries, cherries, oranges, bananas, and mulberries.

Baltimore Oriole can be attracted to your backyard using oranges cut in half hanging from trees or on a platform feeder. They also love sugar water. They love raspberries, trumpet vines and crab apples too.

27. White-throated Sparrow

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With a distinctive white and black striped head, White-throated Sparrows are birds with brown back and gray underneath. They breed mostly in Canada and can be found on the ground in the woods and forests, often in large flocks.

White-throated Sparrows mainly eat seeds of grasses and weeds. They also eat fruits including blueberry, dogwood, blackberry, grape, mountain ash and sumac. They also eat insects.

White-throated Sparrows can be attracted with black oil sunflower seeds and millet.

28. House Finch

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House Finch is a bold bird with heavily streaked abdomen. They have a tan body with red eyebrows, throat, and forehead. They love to visit backyards of feeders and will eat scraps and seeds.

They can be attracted with black oil sunflower seeds, cherries, mustard seeds, and millet.

29. Red-bellied Woodpecker

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Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that is common in Canada. Like all woodpeckers, these birds can be spotted in tree trunks. Despite its name, there is no crimson red on their feathers. The male has a bright red cap that stretches from the forehead to the back of the neck, while the females have red on the back of their necks and base of the bill.

They eat insects, fruits, and nuts. To attract them to your backyard, try suet cage, nectar feeder, black oil sunflower seeds, safflower, crush peanuts. Whole peanuts or hulled sunflower seeds.

30. Brown-headed Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbird is a small bird popularly called cowbird because of its habit of following cows to eat insects they stir up as they graze. They have a dark brown head and black body with a short, sparrowlike bill.

To attract Brown-headed Cowbirds, use feeders made for small birds. You can use sunflower seeds, millet, and cracked corn to attract them.

31. Common Redpoll

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Common Redpolls are white and brown birds that are heavily streaked on the sides. They have black feathering around their yellow bills, small red forehead patch and two white wingbars. Common Redpolls travel in flocks of hundreds or thousands.

Their typical habitat is boreal forests of pines, larches, and spruces. They feed mainly on seeds. To attract common redpolls, you can use fresh niger seed, hang up multiple finch feeders, etc.

32. Pine Siskin

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Pine siskins are songbirds from the family of finches. They are brown in color and have subtle yellow streak ending on their tails and wings. When they take off, you can see flashes of yellow erupt, showing their beauty.

They are found in Canada, Mexico, and United States. They live in mixed and coniferous forests, woody pastures, meadows, grasslands, and backyards. These birds eat weed seeds, sunflower seeds, grass, birch, spruce, and pines.

If you want to attract them to your backyard, use fresh Nyjer seed (thistle), millet, sunflower chips, and black oil sunflower seeds.

33. Rock Pigeon

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Also known as feral pigeon, Rock Pigeons are birds that live on the cliff and rock ledges. They usually crowd public squares and streets, living on discarded foods and birdseed. They also live on farmland, gardens, parks, and suburbs.

They mostly feed on seeds of many grasses, berries or corns, earthworms, and insects. If you like to attract Rock Pigeon to your backyard. To attract them, use seeds and grains such as millet, dried peas, sunflower seeds, and sorghum.

34. Evening Grosbeak

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Evening Grosbeak has yellow and black color with a prominent white patch on the wings. They are social birds often found in flocks, especially in winter. They eat insect larvae during the summer, berries, seeds and small fruits in winter and buds in spring.

Evening Grosbeak breeds in coniferous and mixed forest and is always associated with fir and spruce in northern forest and pines in western mountains. These beautiful birds can be attracted with black oil sunflower seeds on a platform feeder.

35. Pileated Woodpecker

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Pileated Woodpecker looks as big as a crow, making it the largest woodpecker found in Ontario and north America at large. Their bill, which is as long as their head acts as a chisel to peck wood and make a home in trunks of large trees. 

They present a memorable sight with zebra-striped necks and heads, distinctive red crest, and long bill. They mostly eat insects. If you love to attract them to your yard, plant fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, leave dead woods around, offer suet and hang a nesting box.

36. Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk is one of the most skillful birds in the world. They are a common woodland hawk that pursuit other birds in high speed. They are mostly seen prowling above a forest edge or field. Although they look small, they are powerful.

Not many of us will love to have Cooper’s Hawk around the yard but if you love to attract them to your yard, put seeds for birds in your backyard and you will see Cooper’s Hawk hunt down the birds in your backyard. But I doubt you want to share the responsibility of death.

37. Carolina Wren

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This small chunky bird is a bird with round body and a long tail that is often cock upward. The head of Carolina Wren is large with a very little neck. Its distinctive bill is long, downcurved and slender. They are found in open woodlands and love eating insects such as beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, true bugs, and crickets.

To attract Carolina wren to your yard, use pishing and other attractive sounds to capitalize on their curiosity. You can also use shelled peanuts, peanut butter, and suet to attract them to you.

38. Purple Finch

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Purple Finch is a medium-sized finch with conical and pointed bill that is well-adapted to cracking open seeds. Purple Finch male has red color on its head, breast, rump, flank, throat and back. Tory Peterson described them as a “sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.”

They feed on seeds, buds of many trees, small fruits, and berries. They also eat insects such as beetles and caterpillars ma