Alabama is a fantastic state with a lot of nature and beauty to it. A state known for many things, from musical heritage to landscapes to football to their mouth-watering foods, it has a lot to offer. Although there are various things that you can enjoy in Alabama, this article is for our animal or bird lovers or for someone who simply loves bird watching.
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There are numerous backyard birds found in Alabama, ranging from stunning vibrant Cardinals to Eastern blue Jays to American Robins, you name it, and you will find it there. However, listing every backyard bird found in Alabama is a bit hard, considering their sheer quantity, but we can list down the details of the most common ones found there. The list, however, is in no specific order.
So, let’s not beat around the bush anymore, and let’s get started, you bird lovers!
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Top Backyard Birds Found in Alabama
Northern Mockingbird
Number one is a Mockingbird, a dark and grey bird with some white patches on its wings and tails are one of the most common backyard birds found in Alabama. They are mostly found in parks, lawns, scrubs, and different residential areas since their preferred habitat includes scattered trees and bushes.
These Backyard birds have medium length and are slightly curved. In addition to that, they have long legs, but their distinguishing feature is their tail. Their tails are long and slender.
You will find these birds singing and chirping from long poles and perches throughout the night, almost all year long. They are known for their frequently sung, three distinct phrases, the sound of which will intersperse and spread all around.
But if you want to have a closer look at these beautiful bird’s try offering them some berries and fruits like grapes and apple slices. However, since Mockingbirds like eating insects and fruits, they do not try to intrude or mess with their nests as they are not afraid of boldly defending their nests.
Mourning Dove
The second bird is the Mourning Dove, one of the most commonly found backyard birds in the lower forty-eight states of the U.S. (United States) is twelve inches long (from bill tips to tail tip) bird with a pale brownish pink body along with darker tails and wings. When you see a brownish pink bird with a small, round, and very plump head with a long pointed tail and short legs, it might just be a mourning dove.
You can find Mourning Doves anywhere from cities to agricultural fields. The characteristics of their habitat include semi-open areas, for example, woods. Although you still might find them on wires and fences cooing and chirping, reminding you of spring and the beautiful smell of flowers.
Blue Jay
These birds, blue jays will make you anything but blue.
Blue jays carry such beautiful shades of blue that they will leave you in awe. These are very widespread in the eastern part of the United States (U.S.).
Now let’s get into more detail about how they look. They are almost the size of a Robin. They have a crested large, soft, and fluffy head with an ample tail.
Want to know a fun fact about a blue jay?
Blue jays gulp a lot of food, for example, fruits and seeds at once. Not because they are hungry or have a large appetite, but because that is how they store the food. These food items are then hidden or buried by them in their cache.
Oh, and do not forget to look out for other small birds around these birds because blue jays are likely to bully them.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker, this lovely bird which has a pale grey body covered in thin black and white bars, which goes up to their wings and a Red nape (which extends over to the brown for make Red-bellied Woodpecker), is very commonly found in eastern parts of the U.S. ( United States).
A few of their features/ characteristics include strong long legs, which they use to cling themselves to trees and tree branches, has a short tail and a large round head. When talking about a Red-bellied Woodpeckers size, it is somewhere between the size of a starting and an American Robin, which makes it a relatively larger bird for a “backyard bird.” And last but not least, how can we forget a woodpecker’s beak? It has a long and chiseled bill which it uses to peck woods.
And as far as what they eat goes, they are not much different from the other words. They usually feed on things like insects and buts, for example, peanuts.
Northern Cardinal
If you see a bright red bird with a wispy crest and a cute little plum body, it might just be a Northern Cardinal. Yes, that is right; Northern Cardinal is bright red in color (although the female Cardinal are more greyish with hints of red color in their wings and tails compared to the male ones) and has a black face. If that was not pretty enough, Northern Cardinals also have a crest that adds to their identity.
And size-wise, Northern Cardinals are almost the same size as Red-winged Blackbirds and are shorter than American Robins, along with which they also have a more plump and fuller body and a fuller tail.
If you want to lure these beautiful bright birds (which can be seen all year long, be it on trees or shrubs in eastern America), try feeding them various kinds of berries, nuts, and seeds like black oil sunflower seeds, in a tray feeder. Then enjoy and watch them use their conical bills to open the sunflower seeds, spit the hull out and use their touches to remove the kernel from it.
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Chickadee, these cute tiny birds are typically found in North America, like many birds mentioned above.
Moving on to their details. These birds tend to have a round-shaped body, with a round head but a long tail. This is the combination that makes these birds so adorable. Carolina Chickadee has a short and tiny yet strong and stout bill. They are a combination of black and greys. From the top part, they are shaded grey, whereas they are paler (lighter grey/ white) from the below parts. But that is not it; they have a black cap (which, in my opinion, almost looks like a helmet) and a white face.
You may find these birds in residential areas dense with trees or low elevated forests etc. Oh, and if you choose to keep a feeder outside, they might take one sunflower seed at a time from it because their tiny bill cannot chew as sparrows do. So they will take one sunflower seed every time and then take their mighty time to use their bill to pound it open and eat it.
However, sunflower seeds are not the only thing you can fill your feeder with to attract Carolina Chickadee because their food preference can vary from several kinds of seeds to insects.
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatches are gleeful little birds. They have a small body, only four and a half inches long, with grey feathers on their wings and back, along with a white cap that starts from the eyes and goes up. One of the distinct features of a Brown-headed Nuthatch is their white spot located at the nape of their neck. The bill, although it is very long but very thin. A needle-like bill, as one would say.
These birds almost only live on natural growth pines. If they spot and feeders, whether it’s seed or suet, these birds will be sure to give them a visit. But do not expect them to stick around for long. This nuthatch will take one seed and fly away to enjoy it away from any feeders. Don’t worry though, they will frequently return until they are full.
They love to forage around a limb or any pine cones they come across, like a mischievous mouse. That’s not the only thing about them that’s a mouse. They also have a very squeaky and high-pitched call, kind of like a mouse. You can find these Brown-headed Nuthatches in the company of downy woodpeckers, chickadees, golden-crowned kinglets as well as ruby-crowned kinglets, and titmice during the winters.
In Conclusion
Whether it’s the vibrant Blue Jay or the bright red Northern Cardinal, Alabama has everything.
And the best part? You don’t even have to go out of your way, spending hours searching for them just so you can get a glimpse of them. You can enjoy all these beauties from the comfort of your own home or your backyard, more specifically.
Bird watcher or not, having these magnificent creatures in your backyard is a site everyone can enjoy. Not only are they pretty to look at, but it is also known to be relaxing and peaceful. Listening to the beautiful chirping of songbirds is peace in its finest form. It is a way to connect with nature and take in all that it has to offer for some people.
So what are you waiting here for? Go ahead and enjoy the sight of these backyard birds and have fun.
