America's Most Colorful Feeder Birds
We all know that color can have a positive effect on our emotions. Color can make us happier, more energized, and even more creative! What better way to experience nature's colors than from the comfort of your own home? From stunning red Cardinals to sunny yellow Goldfinches, a bird feeder outside your window is an effortless way to keep life colorful and help the local wildlife while you're at it.
Northern Cardinals are the most recognizable of American feeder birds. With their perky crests and brilliant red coloring they're easily spotted, especially on a snowy day. You can find these non-migratory birds year round in the eastern half of the United States. While the males have the familiar scarlet plumage, the female Cardinal is more muted, with tan or gray feathers (although females still sport crests and red beaks.) These popular songbirds are big fans of black oil sunflower seeds and suet.
The dramatic contrast of the Baltimore Oriole's orange and black plumage is so iconic they even leant their name to Maryland's major league baseball team. They love suburban parks and backyards where there are tall trees for roosting. They're a summer staple in the eastern and north central United States, migrating south for the winter. These stunners aren't seed eaters, however; you'll need specialized feeders that hold fresh fruit, jelly, or nectar to attract these fiery fliers.
American Goldfinches are a striking yellow gem of a species that can be found all over the country. Males sport black caps and wing edging during the summer breeding season. Their cheery calls sound a bit like ‘potatochip! potatochip!’ — you may also recognize them by their up-and-down flying motion as they swoop past your windows. They prefer to forage in flocks in the fall and winter, which means you may see as many as a dozen of these little charmers at a time. Goldfinches are such natural acrobats that they'll even hang upside-down to eat!
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Grosbeaks come in a variety of bold colors, from the vivid red Rose Breasted Grosbeak to the rich yellow Evening Grosbeak and the cool stylish Blue Grosbeak. And that bill! Grosbeaks have enormous bills, which almost appear out of proportion to their heads. They love to nosh on seeds, berries, and small fruits.
Finally, Painted Buntings are almost unrivaled in their extraordinary colorful plumage and truly do look like paintings in flight. They are common in the southeast United States and are frequent visitors to feeders where they like to snack on a variety of seeds, fruit, and the occasional mealworm. The males show off the distinctive multi-colored blue, green, yellow and red, while females and juveniles are mainly bright green. Listen for their jumbled warbling song as they perch like little pieces of artwork in low branches or shrubs.
What's your favorite backyard bird? We'd love to hear how you're keeping life colorful!