Fall & Winter Birds

Get to Know Birds 

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Whether you’re briskly pacing across Boston Common or gazing out your kitchen window into a snow-covered suburban backyard, birds can be seen all winter long. The birds featured are some of the most commonly seen species in winter all across Massachusetts, and many of them will readily come to bird feeders.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but most urban and suburban visitors in the winter months will belong to one of the species below. 

You can also find tips on identifying easily-confused winter birds and not-so-common winter birds.

American Goldfinch female in winter © USFWS
American Goldfinch female © USFWS

American Goldfinches

  

American tree sparrow © USFWS
American tree sparrow © USFWS

American Tree Sparrows

black-capped chickadee © Jake LeSuer
black-capped chickadee © Jake LeSuer

Black-capped Chickadees

 
Carolina wren © Ken Thomas
Carolina wren © Ken Thomas

Carolina Wrens

cedar waxwing © Joseph Cavanaugh
cedar waxwing © Joseph Cavanaugh

Cedar Waxwings

 
Dark-eyed Junco © Rene Laubach
Dark-eyed Junco © Rene Laubach

Dark-eyed Juncos

eastern bluebird © Dorrie Holmes
eastern bluebird © Dorrie Holmes

Eastern Bluebirds

 
European starling © USFWS
European starling © USFWS

European Starlings

mourning dove © Al Caldarelli
mourning dove © Al Caldarelli

Mourning Doves

 
northern cardinal © Johanna Wray
northern cardinal © Johanna Wray

Northern Cardinals

northern mockingbird © Ken Thomas
northern mockingbird © Ken Thomas

Northern Mockingbirds

 
tufted titmouse © Anne Greene
tufted titmouse © Anne Greene

Tufted Titmice

white-breasted nuthatch © USFWS
white-breasted nuthatch © USFWS

White-breasted Nuthatches

 
white-throated sparrow © Ken Thomas
white-throated sparrow © Ken Thomas

White-throated Sparrows