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Backyard Birds-Ohio

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Identify

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Goldfinch
Carpodacus mexicanus, Carduelis tristis... The two most common finches in my backyard are house finches (carpodacus mexicanus) and goldfinches (carduelis tristis). House finches, often mistaken for purple finches, is a native to the western US and was introduced to Long Island, New York in 1940 and have spread prodigiously. They are cheerful singers and are seen in cities and farms at seed feeder stations. American goldfinches feed mainly on seeds and are common at thistle feeders.

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Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis... The official name is Northern Cardinal. The Northern cardinals familiar black face, red crest and bright red plumage make this territorial "redbird" a common site in eastern United States backyards. These birds feed on insects, berries and seeds. All summer and winter they will visit bird feeders consisting of sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, and bird blocks made of these ingredients. Northern cardinals will stay in your backyard all year long if they have 4 things: food, water, a place to roost, a place to nest. Female cardinals are very similar to the red males but have more buff-brown color and some red on the wings.

Habitat

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    Create a bird friendly habitat
  • Install native plants
  • Provide year-round water
  • Keep dead trees
  • Put out nesting boxes
  • Hang up birdhouses
  • Offer food in feeders
  • Use the WEB (Yard Map, Audubon, Cornell Labs)
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Build a simple diamond birdhouse

Birds require a protected place to raise their young. If you want to draw a wide variety of birds to your yard, providing shelter is essential. Birds do not require an elaborate structure for nesting. A basic, handmade house placed out of reach of predators will do. Anyone comfortable operating a drill and circular saw can complete one. Place the birdhouse in a secure location, at least 5 feet off the ground and you will have tenants in no time.   Things you will need.

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Backyard Birds-Ohio

All pictures were taken with a Nikon d3100 or Fuji FinePix S3300. All pictures were taken in and around our backyard unless otherwise stated.

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