5 Backyard Birds I Like
Living in South and Central Florida, the most exciting birds I ever saw outside of a zoo were Cardinals and the stubborn Red-bellied Woodpecker with high hopes (as Sinatra would sing) that insisted on trying to drill his hole through the metal downspout on the side of our house. North Georgia is a far different story—all you have to do is hang a feeder outside, and dozens of species in various sizes and colors will drop by over the course of the year. These are 5 of my favorites:
Of Woody Woodpecker fame, this bird is common in more rural areas where invasive European Starlings haven’t established themselves. They usually depart for the winter, so the first Red-head of spring is always a welcome sight.
The best way for me to describe the male of this species is that they’re so blue, they look fake—it’s an electric, cotton-candy shade of blue. They’re supposed to be fairly common, but I rarely see them, usually only for a week or two before they move on.
A flock of these used to fly through at my old house on their way south every winter, but I haven’t seen any since we relocated to another part of the Atlanta area. A brown bird with a black mask and wingtips that look as though they were dipped in red wax (hence the name).
A woodpecker by design, this bird is often seen feeding on the ground instead of the sides of trees. Adorned with clearly defined markings on their head, breast, and body, they always remind me of a horse decked out in Native American war paint.
Not as visually striking at the others on the list, this little bird has personality in spades. They have a chittering vocabulary and a hummingbird’s tendency to buzz by your head on their way to the feeder.
**Bonus! 5 Books About Birds I Like: The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson, The Grail Bird by Tim Gallagher, Bird Songs by Les Beletsky, The Big Year by Mark Obmascik, and if you’re looking for a good pocket reference, Stan Tekiela’s guide for your region is excellent for quick, easy identifications.
