Have you ever thought about what kind of birds live at the back of your homes in East Tennessee? Do you require assistance as to how to identify the most popular birds that visit your backyard in East Tennessee so that you can feed them and coexist as part of one large community?.
It’s a beautiful experience to put your bird feeders in the air and observe the birds who visit however it’s much more satisfying to know what they’re called.
This article will look at the most popular backyard birds in East Tennessee, especially birds that live near home. First, let’s understand the best way to identify birds in East Tennessee.
You can also download our free bird images to assist you in bird identification and keep an eye on the birds that frequent your backyard.
- Northern Cardinal
- Mourning Dove
- Carolina Wren
- American Robin
- American Crow
- Blue Jay
- Carolina Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Northern Mockingbird
- Eastern Towhee
- Indigo Bunting
- American Goldfinch
- Eastern Bluebird
- House Finch
- Barn Swallow
- Downy Woodpecker
- European Starling
- White-throated Sparrow
- Song Sparrow.
1. Northern Cardinal
Nothern_Cardinal_(Redbird)
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The bright male Northern Cardinal with black around their face is a stunning image, particularly against a white winter backdrop. Females can also be somewhat glitzy due to their brown coloring with sharp brown crest red highlights and red-colored beaks.
Northern Cardinals will sometimes attack their reflections in breeding season when they fight for their territory ferocious intensity.
It is possible to attract many more Northern Cardinals to backyard feeders using sunflower seeds, peanuts, millet, milo, and millet.
They feed off big tubular feeders and hoppers or platform feeders, even food that’s scattered over the ground.
There is a surprising amount of red-breasted turkeys within Tennessee that you may spot.
2. Mourning Dove
Morning Dove
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Mourning Doves look elegant with their birds with small heads, big bodies, and long tails. They have a soft brown color with black spots on the wings.
They are perched on telephone wires or foraging in the dirt for seeds.
You can draw even more Mourning Doves in your yard by scattering millet over the ground or on platforms feeders. They also consume black sunflower seeds, Nyjer crack corn, peanut hearts.
3. Carolina Wren
Carolina Wren
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Carolina Wrens tend to be quiet bird species with dark brown tops and light brown under. They sport the loud teakettle songs with an eyebrow stripe of the white and upright tail.
They are found in dense vegetation and can be seen at backyard feeders.
It is possible to attract even more Carolina Wrens to your feeders in the backyard by putting suet feeders and hulled sunflower seeds or peanut hearts on large tubular feeders or platforms for feeders.
4. American Robin
American Robin
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American Robins can be a frequent sight on lawns, eating earthworms. They are black with heads and backs with orange or redbreasts. In winter, they usually roost in trees, which means you’re more likely to find them in your backyard during spring.
They eat sunflower seeds, suet, peanut hearts, fruit, as well as mealworms. They might even eat mealworms from your hands.
Platform feeders are the best option, or food is sprinkled over the floor.
5. American Crow
American Crow
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American Crows are giant, all-black birds that make an eerie cawing sound. They are common birds and can be seen in all areas, including trees, woods, fields, beaches, or towns.
They eat almost everything and typically feed on earthworms that eat seeds, fruits, and seeds.
You can draw more American Crows to your yard by scattering peanuts.
6. Blue Jay
Blue Jay
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Blue Jays can be described as common birds with an upright crest of blue, black, and blue backs and white undersides.
They are loud birds that move in families, taking acorns whenever available. They are primarily, but they can be seen migrating from the northwestern part of the US.
They love sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet but prefer them on hopper feeders or tray feeders that are mounted on posts. They also like the birdbath.
7. Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Chickadee
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Carolina Chickadees can be described as tiny birds with large heads, blackcaps and neck, white belly and cheeks, and soft gray wings, back, and tail.
They appear visually like the Black-capped chickadee,e and they crossbred in areas where their ranges overlap.
They are often found in forest areas, parks, and backyards.
It is possible to attract additional Caroline Chickadees into your garden feeders by adding Black oilseeds, Nyjer suet seeds, or peanuts. They can feed on various feeders like suet cages, tube feeders, or platforms.
8. Tufted Titmouse
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Tufted Titmouse appears gray at the rear and white with adorable gray crests and big eyes typically, favfavoritees, woodpeckers, and nuthatches.
They are a bit assertive smaller birds and can be located in parks, woodlands, and backyard feeders.
The Tufted Titmice can be attracted to your backyard food sources by placing sunflower seeds and suet and peanuts on suet cages or tube feeders. They can also eat fat from the feeders on platforms.
9. Red-bellied Woodpecker
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Red-bellied Woodpeckers are characterized by a light red belly that is difficult to identify and are characterized by nape and cap in rthe red and a black and white striped back.
They sound a loud yell during the summer and spring months and can be found in woods and forests, particularly deadwood.
You can draw more Red-bellied Woodpeckers by using suet feeders, and they may take a bite from hummingbird feeders.
10. Northern Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbird
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Northern Mockingbirds are medium-sized songbirds with tiny bodies and long tails. They have a gray-brown hue and slightare slightly pale on the underside ed to the back. Two white wing bars are visible during flight.
They usually appear alone or in pairs, fighting for their territories. Male mockingbirds can learn about 200 songs throughout their lifetime, reciting other birds’ songs and singing throughout the evening and the day.
The majority reside in the eastern and southern states but can migrate to the northern part of the north.
They rarely visit feeders, but they will see grassy areas. To draw the attention of more Northern Mockingbirds, try planting fruiting plants or bushes like hawthorns and mulberries, as well as brambles of blackberries.
11. Eastern Towhee
Eastern Towhee
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Eastern Towhees are large and striking sparrows, similar to Robin and sporting the black head, blackheads back, the sides are reddish, and long tails and white bellies in males. Females have a similar appearance; however, they have brown rather than black.
However, residents of southeastern states, birds further north migrate to the south during winter and will only be seen in winter at the western part of their range.
Eastern Towhees are known to spend their time searching through the undergrowth. They are often found on the edges of forests as well as thickets.
They stop by feeders for fallen seeds if your yard is overgrown and will also visit platforms feeders to collect sunflower seeds that are black in oil and hulled sunflower seeds—millet and corn that has been cracked.
12. Indigo Bunting
Indigo Bunting
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Indigo Buntings are tiny birds. Males are bright blue with streaks of black on the tail and wings, while females are brown.
They travel away from breeding grounds in the eastern States to wintering grounds in Florida, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
Indigo Buntings are located in fields of weeds and bushes, where they hunt to find seeds and bugs. They can be attracted into your yard by planting tiny seeds like nyjer and thistle.
13. American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
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American Goldfinches are popular birds, with males sporting vibrant black and yellow colors in the early spring. Females are dull brown, and males are more in winter.
The breeders are located in Canada and the northern two-thirds of the US and are they are present all year long across central states and are seen during winter in the southern states.
To draw even more American Goldfinches to your backyard, plant milkweed, and thistles. They are frequent visitors to feeders, and they will also eat sunflower seeds and nyjer seeds.
14. Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird
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Eastern Bluebirds are small thrushes with large, round heads, big eyes, and huge bellies.
Males have deep blue on their backs and have a reddish-colored underside. Females appear grayer on top with blue on the tail and wings and an orange-brown breast that is less vibrant.
They live in the meadow and can be seen perched on posts and wires or low branches searching for insects. They live in most of their range in the eastern states; however, they may move to the south in winter, coming from the northernmost regions.
It is possible to attract even more Eastern Bluebirds to your backyard by providing mealworms as well as nest boxes if your yard is quite open and large.
15. House Finch
House Finch
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House Finches sport a red breast and head in the males and brown-streaked colors in females. The species was initially only found in western states. it was then introduced to eastern states and had been doing exceptionally well, forcing its cousin, the Purple Finch.
They are found in farms, p,arks, or along the edges of forests. They can also be found in backyard feeders. They are often seen in large groups which are hard to miss.
You can draw many more house finches in your backyard feeders by using black oil sunflower seeds or Nyjer seeds placed in feeders made of tubes and platforms feeders.
16. Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
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Barn Swallows are tiny birds that have a blue back and the tail and wings and a reddish-brown splotch over the head. The seat is long and has feathers, which create the appearance of a fork with a deep.
They reproduce throughout most of North America before heading to Central and South America. They fly over farms, meadows, and fields, looking for insects. They usually construct the nests with mud on human-made structures like barns.
You can draw Barn Swallows more by setting up nest boxes, cup,s or nests. They could eat eggshells that have been ground up in a feeder on a platform.
17. Downy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
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Downy Woodpeckers are tiny birds that are often seen in backyard feeders. They are usually paired with other birds like Nuthatches and chickadees.
They are black and white coloring, with red patches on the top of their heads. They look like their cousins, the Hairy Woodpecker.
For additional Downy Woodpeckers into your yard, Try suet feeders, but they are also known to eat sunflower seeds that are black in oil millet, peanuts, millet on feeders with platforms.
18. European Starling
European Starling
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European Starlings are not native, but they are among the largest songbirds. They are large black birds with iridescent green, purple and blue tones.
Some consider them a nuisance because of their aggressive nature; they; theyn large groups and can be observed perched at the high peaks of trees or flying in flocks over fields.
It is possible to attract the European Starlings closer to your feeders by using sunflower seeds with black oil suet, cracked corn, and peanuts.
19. White-throated Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
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White-throated Sparrows have a different head with a black and white stripe and a bright white throat with yellow between bill and eye. They have brown backs, and underneath they are gray.
These birds migrate,e breeding predominantly in Canada and then heading south in winter, heading to the northern and eastern states and California. The White-throated Sparrow can be seen on the ground in forests and around the edges, frequently in large groups.
It is possible to attract white-throated Sparrows into your garden feeders by placing millet and black sunflower seeds er with platforms.
20. Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow
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Song sparrows aren’t like other backyard birds. However, the brown-streaked birds rely on continuously rely on their contract with their mates in the summer and spring.
They are located in open, shady and wet areas, typically perched on a low, swaying shrub. They are usually found in backyard feeders. They are native to western and eastern states; they migrate in the central and southern states during winter.
You can draw birds to the backyard by adding black sunflower seeds in oil cracked corn Nyjer on feeders with platforms.
Birding Hotspots In East Tennessee
- Seven Islands State Birding Park: The Audubon Society has named this park just east of Knoxville as one of East Tennessee’s birding hotspots (together with several others on this list). It surrounds the French Broad River banks with more than eight miles of track through a range of habitats. Popular activities include hiking, paddle boarding, and wildlife photography.
- Sharp’s Ridge State Park in North Knoxvill: This is one of the best spots to see migratory songbirds in the spring, and it’s also crisscrossed with hiking and mountain biking paths. This is aan excellent spot for quick bird watching (or trail run) before or after work because it’s only a few minutes from downtown.
- Frozen Head State Park: This 24,000-acre park is a fantastic site to find forest birds in its lower reaches and high-elevation nesters up along mountain paths. It’s well recognized for its rugged beauty and seclusion, even though it’s only an hour’s drive northwest of Knoxville. The park’s more than 50 miles of hiking pathways are ideal for the energetic, adventurous birder, though sightings can be found around the visitor center and campers at the park’s entrance.
- Lakeshore Park: ThWest Knoxville has a well-developed park with baseball and soccer grounds. The 185-acre leisure area is especially recognized for its diverse bird population and year-round sightings.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The incredibly diversified topography climbs from 875 feet to 6,643 feet at its highest point, providing a variety of habitats for nesting and transient bird species, as well as miles of hiking paths waiting to be discovered. Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome are popular local attractions, and there are lots of anyus try routes to avoid the crowds for a true wilderness experience. Before you travel, make sure to look over the birding checklist.