Southern Wisconsin is a haven for bird enthusiasts, offering a diverse array of avian species that can be observed right in your own backyard. The region’s varied habitats, including woodlands, wetlands, and prairies, provide ample opportunities for birdwatching. Here, we delve into seven fascinating backyard birds that grace Southern Wisconsin with their presence, providing details on their unique characteristics, behaviors, and how you can attract them to your garden.
Also Read: 12 Beautiful Birds of Wisconsin
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
The American Goldfinch is a vibrant, eye-catching bird known for its bright yellow plumage during the breeding season. These small finches are common visitors to Southern Wisconsin backyards, especially during late summer and early fall.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: Males display striking yellow feathers with black wings and a black cap, while females are more subdued with olive-yellow tones.
- Song: Their musical, warbling song and flight call—a series of twitters—are distinctive.
- Diet: They primarily feed on seeds, favoring thistle and sunflower seeds.
- Nesting: These birds nest late in the season, often in late July, using plant down to construct their nests.
Attracting Goldfinches
- Feeders: Offer nyjer (thistle) seeds in tube feeders with small feeding ports.
- Plants: Grow native plants like coneflowers, asters, and sunflowers to provide natural food sources.
- Water: Provide a birdbath with fresh water, as goldfinches are frequent bathers.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
The Northern Cardinal is a year-round resident of Southern Wisconsin, beloved for its vivid red plumage and cheerful song.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: Males are bright red with a black mask around the face, while females are brownish with red tinges.
- Song: Their song is a series of clear whistles, and they often sing in pairs.
- Diet: Cardinals eat a variety of seeds, fruits, and insects.
- Nesting: They build nests in dense shrubs and trees, usually 3-10 feet off the ground.
Attracting Cardinals
- Feeders: Use platform feeders or hopper feeders stocked with sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and peanuts.
- Plants: Plant dense shrubs and small trees like dogwood, hawthorn, and serviceberry to provide shelter and nesting sites.
- Water: Cardinals appreciate shallow water sources for drinking and bathing.
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
The Red-winged Blackbird is a familiar sight in marshes and wetlands but also visits backyard feeders.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: Males are glossy black with striking red and yellow shoulder patches, while females are streaked brown.
- Song: Their song is a distinctive, conk-la-ree!
- Diet: These birds eat insects, seeds, and grains.
- Nesting: They nest in cattails and shrubs near water, creating woven nests.
Attracting Red-winged Blackbirds
- Feeders: Use platform feeders with mixed seeds and grains.
- Habitat: Create a water feature or maintain a natural wetland area to attract these birds.
- Plants: Grow native wetland plants like cattails and sedges.
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America and a common visitor to Southern Wisconsin feeders.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: They have black and white plumage with a white back and underparts; males have a small red patch on the back of the head.
- Song: Their call is a sharp pik, and they drum on trees to communicate.
- Diet: Downy Woodpeckers eat insects, seeds, and suet.
- Nesting: They excavate cavities in dead trees or branches for nesting.
Attracting Downy Woodpeckers
- Feeders: Offer suet cakes in wire cages, and black oil sunflower seeds.
- Trees: Leave dead trees or branches for natural foraging and nesting sites.
- Plants: Plant trees like oak, maple, and pine to provide food and habitat.
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
The Blue Jay is a striking and intelligent bird known for its bold blue coloring and loud calls.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: Blue Jays have bright blue upperparts with white underparts and a distinctive blue crest.
- Song: Their calls range from harsh jay-jay sounds to melodic whistles.
- Diet: They are omnivorous, eating seeds, nuts, insects, and occasionally small vertebrates.
- Nesting: They build bulky nests in trees and large shrubs.
Attracting Blue Jays
- Feeders: Use platform feeders with peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet.
- Plants: Plant oak and beech trees to provide acorns, a favorite food.
- Water: Provide a large birdbath, as Blue Jays enjoy bathing.
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
The Black-capped Chickadee is a charming and acrobatic bird, easily recognized by its distinctive black cap and bib.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: They have a black cap and bib, white cheeks, and soft gray upperparts.
- Song: Their song is a clear chick-a-dee-dee-dee and a whistled fee-bee.
- Diet: They eat insects, seeds, and berries.
- Nesting: Chickadees nest in cavities, often using old woodpecker holes or birdhouses.
Attracting Chickadees
- Feeders: Provide sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts in tube feeders.
- Nesting Sites: Offer birdhouses with the appropriate entrance hole size (1 1/8 inches) to attract nesting chickadees.
- Plants: Plant native trees and shrubs like birch, alder, and willow.
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
The American Robin is a familiar and beloved bird, often considered a harbinger of spring.
Identification and Behavior
- Plumage: Robins have a brick-red breast, gray upperparts, and a yellow bill.
- Song: Their song is a melodious series of whistles, often described as cheer-up, cheerily.
- Diet: They eat earthworms, insects, and fruits.
- Nesting: Robins build cup-shaped nests in trees, shrubs, and on building ledges.
Attracting Robins
- Feeders: Although they rarely visit feeders, offering mealworms and fruit can attract them.
- Water: Provide a birdbath, as robins are frequent bathers.
- Plants: Plant fruit-bearing trees and shrubs like serviceberry, dogwood, and juniper.
Southern Wisconsin offers an array of opportunities for birdwatchers to enjoy these fascinating birds. By creating a bird-friendly environment with the right feeders, plants, and water sources, you can attract these beautiful species to your backyard.