Tips on Identifying Bird Species

Need help identifying birds?

• Take a look at some of the common winter birds in our area.
• Our comprehensive State of the Birds report includes images and information about the status of every bird seen in Massachusetts, listed by common name.

Here are some commonly-seen winter feeder birds that you might have trouble identifying because they look very similar.

• Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker
• Purple Finch and House Finch
• Chipping Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow and House Sparrow
• Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper's Hawk

Hairy Woodpeckers (9¼”) are much bigger than Downy Woodpeckers (6¾”) and their beaks are considerably longer in relation to their head. Also, Downy Woodpeckers typically show small dark bars or spots on their outer tail feathers.

Downy Woodpecker	Hairy Woodpecker
SIZE: About 6¾" long BILL: Bill is much shorter in relation to head size	SIZE: About 9¼" long BILL: Bill is nearly the same length as the head

At most feeders, House Finch is likely to be more common than Purple Finch. House Finches also tend to be noisier than Purple Finches, often chirping loudly when visiting feeders.

Purple Finch (male)	House Finch (male)
BODY: Chunky, bull-headed and short-tailed COLOR: Raspberry red with little or no distinct belly streaking	BODY: Slim, small-headed and long-tailed COLOR: Rose or brick red with streaks on belly

Purple Finch (female)	House Finch (female)
BODY: Chunky, bull-headed and short-tailed COLOR:  Prominent whitish stripe over and behind eye	BODY: Slim, small-headed and long-tailed COLOR: Brownish head lacking stripe over eye

Sparrows are notoriously difficult to identify, but with a close look are actually quite distinctive. The Chipping Sparrow is actually quite unusual in Massachusetts in winter, so any sparrow with a rusty cap at a feeder is most likely an American Tree Sparrow. Female House Sparrow often seen with distinctive male with black throat.

Chipping Sparrow	American Tree Sparrow
HEAD: Rusty cap, white stripe over eye, black line through eye BREAST: Plain, no streaks or dark central spot	HEAD: Rusty cap, bill dark above and yellow below BREAST: Plain with a dark central spot

House Sparrow (male)	House Sparrow (female)
HEAD: Gray crown and rusty on back of head; conspicuous black throat COLOR: Plain underparts without streaks; conspicuous single white bar on the wing	HEAD: Plain brownish with dull stripe behind eye COLOR: Plain underparts and single white bar on wing

These two hawks regularly hunt birds visiting feeders in winter. In many areas, the larger Cooper’s Hawk tends to be the more frequently observed species. Females larger than males in both species.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk (adult) 10" - 14” long	Cooper's Hawk (adult) 14" - 20” long
BODY: Slim and bluish-gray on back; rusty underparts HEAD: Tends to be smoothly rounded, no blackish on top TAIL: Tends to appear square-ended without prominent white tips to end of feathers	BODY: Robust and bluish-gray on back; rusty underparts HEAD: Tends to be squarish (sometimes with crested appearance) and blackish on top TAIL: Tends to appear long and rounded at end with prominent white tips to end of feathers

Sharp-shinned Hawk (juvenile)	Cooper's Hawk juvenile)
BODY: Slim and brown on back; heavy streaks on underparts HEAD: Tends to be smoothly rounded TAIL: Appears square-ended without prominent white tips	BODY: Robust and brown on back; fine streaks on chest and mid-breast HEAD: Tends to be squarish and sometimes slightly crested; tawny in color TAIL: Appears long and rounded with prominent white tips to end of feathers

Photo credits:

Chipping Sparrow, Dick Daniels, Wikimedia
House Sparrow (male), Luc Viatour, Wikimedia
House Sparrow (female), Pheanix, Wikimedia
American Tree Sparrow, Cephas, Wikimedia
Sharp-shinned Hawk (adult), Shawn P. Carey, MigrationProductions.com
Cooper's Hawk (adult) - William H. Majoros, Wikimedia
Sharp-shinned Hawk (juvenile), Debbie Barnes
Cooper's Hawk (juvenile) - Alan Vernon, Wikimedia