Top 32 Backyard Birds in Nevada (Free ID Chart)

Have you wondered what those birds are that are visiting your backyard in Nevada?

Well, this guide will help you to find out how to identify these birds by sight and sound and what time of year you can spot them in Nevada. Also, get a free ID chart to print with the most common backyard birds in Nevada.

Western Kingbirds are more common birds in Nevada in summer and Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are more common birds in Nevada winter.

Backyard birds in Nevada all year: Mourning Dove, House Finch, American Robin, Northern Flicker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, European Starling, Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great-tailed Grackle, Spotted Towhee, Lesser Goldfinch, Verdin, Red-winged Blackbird, Say’s Phoebe, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Northern Mockingbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, Black-billed Magpie, Western Meadowlark, Mountain Chickadee, Anna’s Hummingbird, American Crow.
Backyard birds in Nevada in summer: Brown-headed Cowbird, Western Kingbird, House Wren, Yellow Warbler, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Tanager, Black-chinned Hummingbird
Backyard birds in Nevada in winter: White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Ruby-crowned Kinglet

These are the most common backyard birds in Nevada that may visit your lawn or feeders. They are the birds that appear most frequently on state checklists submitted by bird watchers on ebird.

This article gives you identification information and photos to help you identify and attract more of the common backyard birds that you can spot in Nevada.

If you like backyard birding you will probably enjoy spotting some ducks in Nevada too.

Facts About Birds in Nevada

The Mountain Bluebird is the state bird of Nevada.  This bird was chosen in 1930 and 1931 by the Nevada Federation of Women’s Clubs, children and citizens of the state. It was approved in a bill as the official state bird in 1967.

There are 481 species of bird recorded in Nevada, according to ebird.  Some of the highlight birds in Nevada include Greater Roadrunners, Hummingbirds, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Double-crested Cormorant, Burrowing Owl, Western Tanagers, Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Grebe, White-faced Ibis, Osprey, Great Horned Owl, and Pelicans.

The biggest bird in Nevada is the California Condor, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet (3 m).  These immense black birds have white under the wings and a naked red head.

The smallest bird in Nevada is the Calliope Hummingbird which is only about 3 in long, but they can travel long distances from Canada all the way to southern Mexico. 

The most common bird in Nevada is the Mourning Dove, which is seen in 32% of recorded checklists for the state on ebird throughout the year.

Nevada has 4 national parks, 3 national forests, 9 national wildlife refuges, and 23 state parks that offer excellent bird-watching opportunities if you want to get out and watch birds in their natural environment.

Read to the end of this article to find out more about other birds to spot if you go out birding in Nevada and how to identify birds.

The birds that are attracted to backyards in Nevada change throughout the year.  The lists below show the backyard birds most commonly seen at different times of the year in Nevada.

Notable differences show that Western Kingbirds are more common in summer and Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are more common in winter.

Free Printable Backyard Birds Worksheet for Nevada

These free bird identification worksheets have all the common backyard birds in Nevada at different times of the year. So when you want to do some backyard birding, these handy guides have pictures and space to either tick off the types of birds you have seen or keep a tally of the total number of birds in Nevada you see.

Top 32 Backyard Birds In Nevada:

1. White-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrows are frequently spotted in Nevada during winter and appear in 45% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state. They are more common from September to April, but some hang around all year and appear in 4% of summer checklists.

White-crowned Sparrows are large grayish sparrows with long tails, small bills, and bold black and white stripes on their heads.

• Zonotrichia leucophrys
• Length: 5.9-6.3 in (15-16 cm)
• Weight: 0.9-1.0 oz (25-28 g)
• Wingspan: 8.3-9.4 in (21-24 cm)

White-crowned Sparrows breed in Alaska and arctic Canada before heading south to the lower 48 and Mexico for winter. However, some may remain along the Pacific Coast and the mountainous west all year.

You can find White-crowned Sparrows in weedy fields, along roadsides, forest edges,  and in yards foraging for seeds of weeds and grasses or fruit such as elderberries and blackberries.

White-crowned Sparrow Song:

Attract White-crowned Sparrows to your backyard with sunflower seeds, and they will also eat seeds that other birds drop at feeders.

Brown birds are often overlooked but once you get to know a few you are hooked so get studying all the brown birds in Nevada.

2. Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are found in Nevada all year. They are recorded in 33% of summer checklists and 29% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.

Mourning Doves are graceful small-headed birds with plump bodies and long tails. They are a soft brown color with black spots on the wings. Males are slightly heavier than females.

• Zenaida macroura
• Length: 9.1-13.4 in (23-34 cm)
• Weight: 3.0 -6.0 oz (96-170 g)
• Wingspan: 17.7 in (45 cm)

Mourning Doves are common over all of the lower 48 all year but may migrate after breeding from the north of the Midwest and southern Canada.

Mourning Doves can be seen perching on telephone wires and foraging for seeds on the ground in grasslands, fields, and backyards. They can also be found in open areas or woodland edges.

Mourning Dove call:

Attract Mourning Doves to your backyard by scattering millet on the ground or platform feeders. They will also eat black sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, and peanut hearts.

3. House Finch

House Finches are residents of Nevada all year. They do not migrate and appear in 23% of summer checklists and 34% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.

House Finches males have a red head and breast, and the rest of their bodies are mainly brown-streaked. Females are brown-streaked all over. 

• Haemorhous mexicanus
• Length: 5.1-5.5 in (13-14 cm)
• Weight: 0.6-0.9 oz (16-27 g)
• Wingspan: 7.9-9.8 in (20-25 cm)

Originally only in western US states, House Finches were introduced to eastern US states and have done very well, even pushing out the Purple Finch.

They can be found in parks, farms, forest edges, and backyard feeders in noisy groups that are hard to miss.

House Finch Song:

House Finch Call:

Attract House Finches to backyard feeders with black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds in tube feeders or platform feeders.

There are lots of other red birds in Nevada that you can spot.

4. American Robin

American Robins can be spotted in Nevada all year. They are recorded in 25% of summer checklists and 20% of winter checklists for the state.

American Robins are a common sight on lawns eating earthworms. They have black heads and backs with red or orange breasts. They tend to roost in trees in winter, so you are more likely to see them in your backyard from spring.

• Turdus migratorius
• Length: 7.9-11.0 in (20-28 cm)
• Weight: 2.7-3.0 oz (77-85 g)
• Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)

American Robins are residents in the lower 48 and the coast of Western Canada and Alaska. Those that breed in Canada and inland Alaska move south for the winter.

American Robins can be found in many habitats, from woodlands, forests, and mountains to fields, parks, and lawns. They eat earthworms, insects, snails, and fruit.

American Robin Song:

American Robin Call:

Attract American Robins to your backyard with sunflower seeds, suet and peanut hearts, fruit, and mealworms. Platform feeders are best or food scattered on the ground. Also, try planting some native plants that produce berries, such as juniper, sumac, hawthorn, and dogwood.

5. Northern Flicker

Northern Flickers can be spotted all year in Nevada but are more common during winter in the south of the state. They are recorded in 12% of summer checklists and 29% of winter checklists.

Northern Flickers are large brown woodpeckers with black spots and a white patch on their rump in flight, plus a red nape of the neck in the males. 

Northern Flickers have red or yellow flashes in the wings and tail depending on where they originate. Red-shafted birds live in the west, and yellow-shafted birds live in the east.

• Colaptes auratus
• Length: 11.0-12.2 in (28-31 cm)
• Weight: 3.9-5.6 oz (110-160 g)
• Wingspan: 16.5-20.1 in (42-51 cm)

Northern Flickers can be spotted across the US all year and in Canada during summer. Those that breed in Canada migrate south for the winter.

Northern Flickers mainly eat ants, beetles, fruits, and seeds, and they can often be seen on the ground digging with their curved bill.

Northern flicker Call:

Attract Northern Flickers to your backyard with suet.

Some woodpeckers are more easily recognized than others, but with this guide, you can identify all the woodpeckers in Nevada.

6. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warblers are more frequently spotted in Nevada during winter, but some also spend the breeding season in the north of the state. They are recorded in 11% of summer checklists and 28% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.

Yellow-rumped Warblers are gray with flashes of yellow on the face, sides, and rump and white in the wings.

Females may be slightly brown, and winter birds are paler brown with bright yellow rumps and sides turning bright yellow and gray again in spring.

• Setophaga coronata
• Length: 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm)
• Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (12-13 g)
• Wingspan: 7.5-9.1 in (19-23 cm)

Yellow-rumped Warblers breed predominantly in Canada and parts of the Rockies and the Appalachian mountains.

During migration, they can be seen in the Midwest before overwintering in southern and southwestern US states and the Pacific Coast and into Mexico and Central America.

You can find Yellow-rumped Warblers in coniferous forests, especially during the breeding season. During winter, they can be found in open areas with fruiting shrubs. In summer, they eat mostly insects and on migration, and in winter, they eat mostly fruit, including bayberry and wax myrtle. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler Song:

Attract Yellow-rumped Warblers to your backyard with sunflower seeds, suet, raisins, and peanut butter.

These colorful and melodious migratory birds don’t stick around for long so be sure to check out all the warblers in Nevada you can spot before it’s too late.

7. Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Juncos are the second most frequently spotted sparrows in Nevada during winter. They are more common from October to March, but some remain all year. They are recorded in 26% of winter checklists and 7% of summer checklists.

Dark-eyed Juncos are sparrows that are different colors depending on the state. They are generally slate-colored in the east and black, white, and brown in the west.

• Junco hyemalis
• Length: 5.5-6.3 in (14-16 cm)
• Weight: 0.6-1.1 oz (18-30 g)
• Wingspan: 7.1-9.8 in (18-25 cm)

Dark-eyed Juncos remain resident all year in northeastern and western US states and the Appalachian Mountains. Those that breed in Canada and Alaska migrate south in winter to the United States.

They can be found in open and partially wooded areas, often on the ground, and are common across the continent. 

Dark-eyed Junco Song:

Attract Dark-eyed Juncos to backyard feeders with a variety of seeds such as black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, millet, and peanuts. Platform feeders or scattered on the ground are best.

8. European Starling

European Starlings are considered introduced species in Nevada and can be seen in the state all year. They appear in 13% of summer checklists and 21% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.

European Starlings are not native but are now one of the most numerous songbirds. They are stocky black birds with iridescent purple, green, and blue tones. 

• Sturnus vulgaris
• Length: 7.9-9.1 in (20-23 cm)
• Weight: 2.1-3.4 oz (60-96 g)
• Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)

European Starlings live in all of North America, except the north of Canada and Alaska.

They are considered a pest by some due to their aggressive behavior. These birds fly in large, noisy flocks and can be seen perched in groups on the top of trees or flying over fields.

European Starling Calls:

Starlings predominantly eat insects, including beetles, flies and caterpillars, earthworms, and spiders. However, they also eat fruit, including cherries, holly berries, mulberries, Virginia Creeper, sumac, blackberries, and grains and seeds.

Attract European Starlings to your backyard feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, suet, cracked corn, and peanuts.

9. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are more common in Nevada during winter, mainly in the west and south of the state. However, some also spend the breeding season in the northeast of the state. They appear in 3% of summer checklists and 20% of winter checklists.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are small songbirds that are olive-green, and the males have a brilliant red crown that is usually flat, so hard to see.

• Corthylio calendula
• Length: 3.5-4.3 in (9-11 cm)
• Weight: 0.2-0.3 oz (5-10 g)
• Wingspan: 6.3-7.1 in (16-18 cm)

Ruby-crowned Kinglets breed in Canada and the mountainous west before migrating to southern and southwestern US states and Mexico for the winter. 

Ruby-crowned Kinglets can be hard to spot as they are fast-moving quiet birds that flit around in the foliage of lower branches and shrubs and trees looking for spiders and insects.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Song:

Attract Ruby-crowned Kinglets with suet or platform feeders with hulled sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, and mealworms.

10. Song Sparrow

Song Sparrows can be spotted all year in Nevada. They are recorded in 11% of summer checklists and 18% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.

Song sparrows are not as remarkable looking as other backyard birds, but these predominantly brown-streaked birds use their almost constant song to attract mates in spring and summer.

• Melospiza melodia
• Length: 4.7-6.7 in (12-17 cm)
• Weight: 0.4-1.9 oz (12-53 g)
• Wingspan: 7.1-9.4 in (18-24 cm)

Song Sparrow live all year in the northern US states. Those that breed in Canada migrate to southern US states for winter.

They can be found in open, shrubby, and wet areas, often perched on a low shrub singing. They are often found at backyard feeders.

Song Sparrows eat a wide variety of insects and plants, including beetles, caterpillars, midges, spiders, and earthworms. They will also eat buckwheat, sunflower, raspberries, wild cherries, blackberries, wheat, and rice.

Song Sparrow Song:

Song Sparrow Call:

Attract Song Sparrows to your backyard feeders by putting black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and nyjer on platform feeders.

Sparrows are known as LBJs (Little brown jobs) but if you want to know more, check out this guide to sparrows in Nevada.

11. House Sparrow

House Sparrows are an introduced species in Nevada that can be spotted here all year. They do not migrate and occur in 13% of summer checklists and 18% of winter checklists for the state.

The House Sparrow is another introduced species that has done very well and is now one of the most common birds. They have gray and brown heads and white cheeks. Their backs are black and brown, and their bellies are gray.

• Passer domesticus
• Length: 5.9-6.7 in (15-17 cm)
• Weight: 0.9-1.1 oz (27-30 g)
• Wingspan: 7.5-9.8 in (19-25 cm)

House Sparrows live in the US and Southern Canada all year.

You can find them near houses and buildings, and they can be pretty tame, and they may even eat out of your hand.

House Sparrows eat mostly grain and seed as well as discarded food. They can be considered a pest because they are non-native, but they are found in backyards even if you do not feed them.

House Sparrow Song:

Attract House Sparrows to your backyard feeders with most kinds of birdseed, including millet, corn, and sunflower seeds.

12. Great-tailed Grackle

Great-tailed Grackles are residents of Nevada all year. They appear in 11% of summer checklists and 17% of winter checklists submitted by bird watchers for the state.

Great-tailed Grackles are long slender blackbirds with impressive long tapered tails in the males. Males are iridescent black with piercing yellow eyes. Females are also long-legged and slender but are dark brown on the back and lighter brown underneath, with more slender tails.

• Quiscalus mexicanus
• Length: 15.0-18.1 in (38-46 cm)
• Weight: 3.7-6.7 oz (105-190 g)
• Wingspan: 18.9-22.8 in (48-58 cm)

Great-tailed Grackles can be found in the West and Midwest in agricultural and urban areas, generally where humans are.

Great-tailed Grackles’ diet is grains, seeds, and fruit, as well as insects and other animals such as worms, beetles, spiders, bees, slugs, and snails. They will also sometimes eat small mammals and lizards as well as eggs and nestlings.

Great-tailed Grackle sounds: They have a fantastic array of whistles, shrieks, and rattles.

13. Spotted Towhee

Spotted Towhees are residents of Nevada all year, and they are recorded in around 14% of summer checklists and 11% of winter checklists.

Spotted Towhees are large sparrows that are black on their head, throat, and back in the males and brown in the females. Both males and females have reddish-brown sides, white bellies, and white spots on the wings and back. They have long tails and are about the size of a Robin.

• Pipilo maculatus
• Length: 6.7-8.3 in (17-21 cm)
• Weight: 1.2-1.7 oz (33-49 g)
• Wingspan: 11.0 in (28 cm)

Spotted Towhees live in western US states, but those in the interior of the north migrate south after breeding to Texas and surrounding areas.

You can find Spotted Towhees on the ground in dense tangles of shrubs scratching around for insects, including beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, wasps, and bees. They also eat acorns, berries, and seeds.

Spotted Towhee Song:

Attract Spotted Towhees to your yard if you leave overgrown borders, and they will visit platform feeders or ground feeders for black oil sunflower seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, cracked corn, millet, and milo.

14. Brown-headed Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbirds are frequently spotted in Nevada during summer and appear in 16% of checklists at this time. They are more common from April to August, but some hang around in the state all year.

Males Brown-headed Cowbirds are larger than females, with black-bodies, brown heads, and short tails. Female Brown-headed Cowbirds are brown all over with slight streaking.

• Molothrus ater
• Length: 76.3-8.7 in (19-22 cm)
• Weight: 1.3-1.8 oz (42-50 g)
• Wingspan: 14.2 in (36 cm)

Brown-headed Cowbirds remain all year in eastern US states, southern US states, and along the Pacific Coast. However, those that breed in northern and western US states and Canada migrate south for winter.

Brown-headed Cowbird Song:

They are often considered a nuisance because they are parasite birds that destroy the eggs of smaller songbirds so they can lay their eggs in the nest and have the bird foster their chicks.

15. Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinches can be spotted in Nevada all year and are recorded in 14% of summer checklists and 18% of winter checklists for the state.

Lesser Goldfinches are tiny bright yellow and black songbirds with long pointed wings and short notched tails. Females have olive backs and are more dull yellow underneath.

• Spinus psaltria
• Length: 3.5-4.3 in (9-11 cm)
• Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (8-11.5 g)
• Wingspan: 5.9-7.9 in (15-20 cm)

Lesser Goldfinches live in the southwestern US states and the West Coast all year, but those that breed in the interior of western US states migrate for winter.

Lesser Goldfinches can be found in large flocks in open habitats, including thickets, weedy fields, forest clearings, parks, and gardens. They forage for seeds, especially sunflower seeds, but also fruits from elderberry, coffeeberry, and buds from cottonwoods, willows, sycamores, and alders.

Lesser Goldfinch call/Song:

Attract Lesser Goldfinches to your yard with sunflower seeds and nyjer in tube feeders or platform feeders.

There are a surprising number of finches in Nevada that you can get to know.

16. Verdin

Verdins are residents of Nevada all year, but they are mainly spotted in the south of the state. They appear in 9% of summer checklists and 17% of winter checklists.

Verdins are tiny desert birds with a small yellow head, grayish on the back and paler on the underside.  They have small chestnut patches on the shoulder and long tails.

• Auriparus flaviceps
• Length: 3.5-4.3 in (9-11 cm)
• Weight: 0.2-0.3 oz (5-8 g)

Verdins are resident in southwestern US states and Mexico.

You can find Verdins in desert scrub and along the steep-sided gullies, known as arroyos, with trees and shrubs such as acacias, juniper, hackberry, willows, and oaks. 

Their diet is insects and spiders, such as caterpillars, wasps, bees, and some fruit such as palm fruit, hackberry, and mesquite. They may also drink nectar from flowers.

Verdins’ Song:

Attract Verdins to your yard with hummingbird feeders and flowering shrubs and any fruit-bearing native trees or shrubs, such as acacia or juniper.

17. Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged blackbirds are spotted in Nevada all year. They appear in around 15% of checklists in summer and winter.

Red-winged blackbirds are very common and easy to identify with the all-black coloring except for the reddish-orange wing patches. Females are rather dull in comparison with streaky brown color.

• Agelaius phoeniceus
• Length: 6.7-9.1 in (17-23 cm)
• Weight: 1.1-2.7 oz (32-77 g)
• Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)

Red-winged Blackbirds remain all year in the lower 48 and the Pacific Coast of British Columbia. Those that breed in Canada and some northern US states migrate south for the winter.

They can often be spotted sitting on telephone wires, and the males will fiercely defend their territories in the breeding season, even attacking people that get too close to their nests. In winter, they roost in large numbers into the millions.

Red-winged Blackbird Song:

Red-winged Blackbird Calls:

Attract Red-winged blackbirds to your backyard with mixed grain and seeds spread on the ground. They will also feed from large tube feeders or platform feeders.

Blackbirds are a vast family of birds that have numerous family members, and why don’t you get to know all the blackbirds in Nevada?

18. Say’s Phoebe

Say’s Phoebes spend the breeding season in Nevada, but some stay all year in the south of the state. They appear in 8% of summer checklists and 15% of winter checklists.

Say’s Phoebes are slender, long-tailed flycatchers that are brownish-gray above and with a cinnamon belly, gray breast, and blackish tail.

• Sayornis saya
• Length: 6.7 in (17 cm)
• Weight: 0.7-0.8 oz (21-22 g)

Say’s Phoebes breed in Alaska, northwestern Canada, and the northern U.S before migrating south to southwestern states and Mexico.  Those in southern states remain all year.

You can find Say’s Phoebes in open country, including badlands, canyons, and desert borders.

Say’s Phoebe’s are flycatchers, and their diet is mostly insects such as beetles, crickets, bees, and flies. They often nest on buildings and can be seen perched on fence posts and around buildings or in their nests under an eave.

Say’s Phoebes’ song:

Attract Say’s Phoebes to your yard by putting up a nest box or a shelf attached to a building to encourage nesting and plant native trees and shrubs.

19. Eurasian Collared-Dove

Eurasian Collared-Doves are residents of Nevada all year. They do not migrate and appear in 13% of summer checklists and 16% of winter checklists.

Eurasian-collard Doves are light brownish-gray, with white patches in the tail, and look very similar to Mourning Doves, but with a black half collar at the nape of the neck. They are also larger and with a square tail rather than pointed.

• Streptopelia decaocto
• Length: 11.4-11.8 in (29-30 cm)
• Weight: 4.9-6.3 oz (140-180 g)
• Wingspan: 13.8 in (35 cm)

Eurasian Collared-Doves are an introduced species that only arrived in the 1980s but now live across most of the United States.

You can find Eurasian Collared-Doves in most areas, including rural and suburban and they eat a wide variety of seeds and grain but also eat some berries and insects.

Eurasian Collared-Dove song:

20. Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbirds can be spotted in Nevada all year. They are recorded in 10% of summer checklists and 16% of winter checklists in the state.

Northern Mockingbirds are medium-sized songbirds with small heads and long tails. They are a gray-brown color and slightly paler on the underside than their back, and they have two white wingbars visible in flight.

• Mimus polyglottos
• Length: 8.3-10.2 in (21-26 cm)
• Weight: 1.6-2.0 oz (45-58 g)
• Wingspan: 12.2-13.8 in (31-35 cm)

Northern Mockingbirds do not migrate and can be spotted across the lower 48 and southern Canada.

They are usually seen alone or in pairs and aggressively defend their territory. A male mockingbird can learn around 200 songs in its life, copying other birds’ songs, and they can sing all through the day and into the night.

Northern Mockingbird Call/Song:

Attract more Northern Mockingbirds to your backyard by planting fruiting trees or bushes, including hawthorns, mulberries, and blackberry brambles. They don’t often visit feeders, but they will come to open lawn areas.

21. Brewer’s Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbirds are residents of Nevada all year and appear in 13% of checklists in summer and 9% of checklists in winter submitted by bird watchers for the state.

Brewer’s Blackbirds are medium-sized blackbirds with glossy black coats in the males with purple coloring on the head and greenish iridescent color on the body. Females are plain brown all over.

• Euphagus cyanocephalus
• Length: 7.9 -9.8 in (20-25 cm)
• Weight: 1.8 -3.0 oz (50-86 g)
• Wingspan: 14.6 in (37 cm)

Brewer’s Blackbirds can be found in all US states and southern Canada, except in the Northeast, and those in the west do not migrate.

However, those in more northern and central states and provinces migrate to the southern US and Mexico for winter. They can be seen during migration in eastern states.

Brewer’s blackbirds live in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, marshes, meadows, woodlands, and coasts, and near humans in parks, fields, and backyards. They eat mainly seeds and grain and insects or anything they can find.

Brewer’s Blackbird sounds: Brewer’s blackbirds make very short and shrill songs, and they also make ‘chuk’ calls.

Attract Brewer’s blackbirds to your backyard with seeds such as hulled sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and millet on ground feeders.

22. Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpies are found in Nevada all year. They are recorded in 9% of summer checklists and 12% of winter checklists.

Black-billed Magpies, usually just called Magpies, are black and white birds that are noisy. They have long tails and blue-green iridescent flashes in the wing and tail. Males are up to 25% heavier than females.

• Pica hudsonia
• Length: 17.7-23.6 in (45-60 cm)
• Weight: 5.1-7.4 oz (145-210 g)
• Wingspan: 22.1-24.0 in (56-61 cm)

Black-billed Magpies live in northwestern US states and western Canada, and the coast of Alaska. They do not migrate.

You can find them walking on the ground in meadows and grasslands or other open areas feeding on fruit and grain, beetles, and grasshoppers. They have also been known to kill small mammals such as squirrels and voles and raid bird nests for eggs or nestlings and even carrion.

Black-billed Magpie sounds: A series of harsh calls and also a scream.

You can attract Black-billed Magpies to your backyard with platform and suet feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, fruit, suet, millet, and milo.

23. Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlarks are spotted all year in Nevada but are more common during the breeding season. They are recorded in 12% of summer checklists and 5% of winter checklists.

With their bright yellow bellies and melodious song, Western Meadowlarks can brighten up your day. This is probably what makes them so popular, so popular in fact that they are the state bird of 6 US states.

Western Meadowlarks are members of the blackbird family and are about the size of a Robin with shades of brown and white upperparts and a black V-shaped band across the bright yellow chest that turns gray in winter.

• Sturnella neglecta
• Length: 6.3-10.2 in (16-26 cm)
• Weight: 3.1-4.1 oz (89-115 g)
• Wingspan: 16.1 in (41 cm)

Western Meadowlarks breed in northern US states and Canada before moving to more southern states. Those in The West and Midwest remain all year.

You can find Western Meadowlarks foraging for insects and seeds from weeds. Also, they look for seeds on the ground alone or in small flocks in grasslands, meadows, and fields.

Western Meadowlark Song:

Attract Western Meadowlarks to your backyard with hulled sunflower seeds and cracked corn.

There are so many yellow birds in Nevada that you will spot, especially in spring.

24. Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadees are spotted all year in Nevada but more from June to October. They appear in 11% of summer checklists and 9% of winter checklists.

Mountain Chickadees are tiny birds with black-and-white heads and gray over the body, darker on the back and light gray underneath.

• Poecile gambeli
• Length: 4.3-5.5 in (11-14 cm)
• Weight: 0.4 oz (11 g)

Mountain Chickadees live in the mountains west of the US all year and do not migrate but may move down the mountain to lower areas in winter.

You can find Mountain Chickadees in evergreen forests, especially those with pine and conifers.  They eat insects and spiders, nuts, and seeds and will often visit backyard feeders. Mountain Chickadees will often stash food for later and create a store of food.

Attract Mountain Chickadees to your yard by putting up nest boxes, and they will visit most types of feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, mealworms, nyjer, suet, and peanut butter.

You should find out all about the other sociable and inquisitive chickadees in Nevada.

25. Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbirds are spotted all year in Nevada, mainly in the south of the state. They occur in 7% of summer checklists and 13% of winter checklists.

Anna’s Hummingbirds are tiny birds that are mostly green and gray. The male’s head and throat are iridescent reddish-pink, but the female’s throat is grayish with bits of red spotting.

• Calypte anna
• Length: 3.9 in (10 cm)
• Weight: 0.1-0.2 oz (3-6 g)
• Wingspan: 4.7 in (12 cm)

Unusually Anna’s Hummingbirds do not migrate, and they are the most common hummingbird along the Pacific Coast.

You can find Anna’s Hummingbirds near large colorful blossoms during the spring, and they readily visit hummingbird feeders that you can fill with homemade hummingbird nectar.

They make a dramatic dive display during courtship as the males climb up to 130 feet into the air before diving back to the ground with a burst of noise from their tail feathers.

Anna’s Hummingbird Call:

Attract Anna’s Hummingbirds to your backyard with nectar feeders and lots of colorful plants.

If you get a buzz out of hummingbirds, then check out all the hummingbirds in Nevada and when is best to spot them.

26. Western Kingbird

Western Kingbirds are frequently spotted in Nevada during summer and are recorded in 17% of checklists at this time. They are seen here from March to October.

Western Kingbirds are large flycatchers with yellow bellies, whitish chests, gray heads, grayish-brown wings, and black tails with white edges.

• Tyrannus verticalis
• Length: 7.9-9.4 in (20-24 cm)
• Weight: 1.3-1.6 oz (37-46 g)
• Wingspan: 15.0-16.1 in (38-41 cm)

Western Kingbirds breed in summer in western US states, the plains area, and into Canada. They migrate to Mexico and Central America, but some may overwinter in the south of Florida.

You can find Western Kingbirds in open habitats, and they are often found perched on fences and utility lines, waiting for insects to fly by before catching them in mid-flight.

Western Kingbird call:

Attract Western Kingbirds to your yard by making it insect-friendly and planting elderberry or hawthorn, from which they will also eat the fruit.

27. House Wren

House Wrens are more frequently spotted during the breeding season in Nevada and appear in 11% of summer checklists. However, some can be seen here all year.

House Wrens are small nondescript brown birds with darker barred wings and tails and a paler throat. 

• Troglodytes aedon
• Length: 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
• Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (10-12 g)
• Wingspan: 5.9 in (15 cm)

House Wrens spend their summer breeding in the US and southern Canada before migrating to southern US states and Mexico for winter.

You can find House Wrens in backyards, parks and open woods foraging for insects and spiders. They can often be found energetically hopping through tangles and low branches with their tails up, stopping to sing their cheerful song.

House Wrens are fierce for their size when it comes to getting the best nest holes. They will often harass larger birds, sometimes dragging eggs or nestlings out of a nest site they want. 

House Wren Song:

Attract House Wrens to your backyard by leaving piles of brush or putting up a nest box.

Wrens are often overlooked for more flash birds, but take the time to get to know the sight and sounds of wrens in Nevada.

28. Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warblers are mainly spotted in Nevada from April to October and occur in up to 15% of summer checklists for the state.

Yellow Warblers are small bright yellow birds with a yellow-green back, and the males have chestnut streaks on the breast.

• Setophaga petechia
• Length: 4.7-5.1 in (12-13 cm)
• Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (9-11 g)
• Wingspan: 6.3-7.9 in (16-20 cm)

Yellow Warblers migrate a long distance to breed in Canada and the US, except for southeastern states, before heading back into Central and South America for winter. However, they can be seen during migration in southeastern US states.

You can find Yellow Warblers along streams and wetlands in thickets and along the edges of fields foraging for insects, including caterpillars, midges, beetles, bugs, and wasps.

Song

Attract Yellow Warblers to your backyard with suet, oranges, peanut butter, and plants with berries. Also, plant native plants that attract insects without pesticides or being too tidy! Also, try birdbaths with fountains near secluded thickets to provide protection.

29. American Crow

American Crows are found in Nevada all year and occur in 5% of summer and winter checklists.

American crows are large all-black birds that make a hoarse, cawing sound.

• Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Length: 15.8-20.9 in (40-53 cm)
• Weight: 11.2-21.9 oz (316-620 g)
• Wingspan: 33.5-39.4 in (85-100 cm)

American Crows are residents all year in most of the lower 48 and the Pacific Coast in Canada and Alaska. Those that breed in Canada and the northern Midwest migrate south for winter.

They are common birds found in most habitats, including treetops, woods, fields, beaches, or towns.

They eat most things and usually feed on the ground, eating earthworms, insects, seeds, and fruit. They also eat fish, young turtles, mussels, and clams and will even eat eggs and nestlings of many species of birds.

In winter, American Crows gather in large numbers of up to two million crows to sleep in noisy communal roosts.

American Crow Call:

Attract American Crows to your backyard by scattering peanuts, but they can become a nuisance as they are attracted by garbage or pet food if left out.

30. Bullock’s Oriole

Bullock’s Orioles spend the breeding season in Nevada and appear in 13% of summer checklists. They start arriving as early as March, and some stay until December, but April until September are the best months to spot them.

Bullock’s Orioles males are bright orange with black and white wings and black markings on their heads.

Females and immature are duller with gray backs and yellow heads, tails, and chests.

• Icterus bullockii
• Length: 6.7-7.5 in (17-19 cm)
• Weight: 1.0-1.5 oz (29-43 g)
• Wingspan: 12.2 in (31 cm)

Bullock’s Orioles breed in the western half of the US and spend the winter in Mexico. 

You can find Bullock’s Orioles in open woodlands and parks foraging for insects, fruit, and nectar.

Bullock’s Oriole sounds: They make a series of cheeps and whistles that last a few seconds.

Attract Bullock’s Orioles to your backyard with sugar water, jelly and fruit.

31. Western Tanager

Western Tanagers spend the breeding season in Nevada, but their numbers increase during the migration in May and September. They are recorded in 12% of summer checklists and up to 21% of checklists during migration.

Western Tanagers have a flaming orange-red head, yellow body, and black wings. Females have only red faces, and their bodies are yellow-green.

• Piranga ludoviciana
• Length: 6.3-7.5 in (16-19 cm)
• Weight: 0.8-1.3 oz (24-36 g)

Western Tanagers breed in western US states and western Canada. They can be seen during migration in the east and south of this range. Winter is spent in Mexico and Central America.

You can find Western Tanagers in open conifer forests, but they stay hidden in the canopy, despite their bright coloring. Their numbers are actually increasing in the last forty years.

They eat mainly insects in summer, such as wasps and grasshoppers, and in the fall and winter, they also eat fruit.

Western Tanager Song:

Attract Western Tanagers with dried fruit, cut oranges, and other fruits from bird feeders.

32. Black-chinned Hummingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbirds spend summer in Nevada from March to October and appear in 8% of checklists at this time.

Black-chinned Hummingbirds are dull metallic green on the back and grayish-white underneath.  The males have a black throat with a thin iridescent purple base, and the females have a pale throat and white tips on the tail feathers.

• Length: 3.5 in (9 cm)
• Weight: 0.1-0.2 oz (2.3-4.9 g)
• Wingspan: 4.3 in (11 cm)

In summer, black-chinned Hummingbirds breed predominantly inland in western states from British Columbia to Baja California.

After breeding, they may move to higher mountain areas with abundant flowers before migrating to western Mexico, southern California, and the Gulf Coast in the winter. Migration of Black-chinned Hummingbirds usually occurs in March and September.

Black-chinned Hummingbird calls and wingbeat:

They eat nectar, small insects, and spiders, and their tongues can lick 13-17 times per second when feeding on nectar. Nests of Black-chinned Hummingbirds are made of plant down and spider silk to hold them together, and they lay two tiny white eggs that are only 0.6 in (1.3 cm)

Black-chinned Hummingbirds can often be seen sitting at the top of dead trees on tiny bare branches and often return to a favorite perch. They can be found along canyons and rivers or by shady oaks.

Common Birds in Nevada in Different Seasons

These are the backyard birds most often seen in Nevada that may visit your lawn or feeders.  This list of the top birds in Nevada is created from the birds that appear most frequently on state checklists on ebird. The data combines birds most commonly spotted in Nevada in summer (June and July) and winter (December and January). 

Birds that are not often seen at feeders or in backyards were removed to give you the birds in Nevada you are most likely to see from home. This data mix ensures that whatever time of year you are backyard bird-watching in Nevada, these are the birds you will most likely spot at feeders or on your lawn.

Best Bird Feeders to Attract Birds in Nevada

A variety of different bird feeders will attract the most species of birds

1.  Tube Feeders can be filled with different types of birdseed, and depending on the seed, different birds will be attracted. Black oil sunflower seeds attract Goldfinches, Chickadees, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, and Pine Siskins.
2. A Tray below a tube Feeder or a ground feeder with Black oil sunflowers tube feeders attract Cardinals, Jays, Finches, and Sparrows.
3. Platform feeders with Millet or Corn attract small and medium-sized birds such as sparrows, Blackbirds, Towhees, Juncos, Doves, Grackles, and Starlings.
4. Peanut feeders attract Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Titmice, Jays, Juncos, Finches, and Sparrows.
5. Suet Feeders are great, especially in winter, for Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Nuthatches, Kinglets, Wrens, and Chickadees.
6. Hummingbird Feeders filled with sugar water and cleaned regularly will attract these amazing tiny birds.

How to Attract Birds to Your Yard in Nevada

If you would like to attract more birds to your yard in Nevada, here are some tips:

1. Provide bird feeders for different types of birds to get the most species to visit your yard.
2. Provide a water feature such as a birdbath fountain or stream.  Ensure that the water is clean and not stagnant
3.  Grow native plants that will provide food and shelter. Plants, trees, and shrubs that provide fruit, berries, and nuts. Blackberries, wild grasses, elderberries, serviceberries, Oaks, Beeches, Cherries, sumacs, hemlocks, Purple Coneflowers, Sunflowers, Milkweed, Cardinal Flowers, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Virginia Creeper, Buttonbush, and Dogwoods.
4. Let your grass grow long to provide cover and seeds.
5. Leave a brush pile to provide food, protection, and nesting opportunities for birds.
6. Don’t use pesticides and herbicides as these may be toxic to birds and prevent the natural foraging opportunities for insects and seeds that birds will seek in your yard.
7. Set up nest boxes to attract breeding birds and ensure they are cleaned every year.
8. Check with local bylaws if there are any restrictions on adding feeders and ensure that they do not encourage any unwanted visitors.

How to Identify Birds in Nevada

Here are some tips to help you identify birds:

1. Size – Size is the easiest thing to notice about a bird.  Birds are often measured in inches or centimeters in guide books.  It’s best to take a note of the bird in terms of small, medium, or large to be able to look for it later. A small bird is about the size of a sparrow, a medium bird is about the size of a pigeon, and a large bird is the size of a goose.
2. Shape – Take note of the silhouette of the bird and jot it down or draw the outline.  Look at tail length, bill shape, wing shape, and overall body shape.
3. Color pattern – Take a note of the main color of the head, back, belly, wings, and tail for the main color and then any secondary colors or patterns. Also, take note of any patterns such as banding, spots, or highlights.
4. Behavior – Are they on the ground or high up in the trees. Are they in flocks or on their own?  Can you spot what they are eating?
5. Habitat – Woodlands, parks, shrubs, grasslands or meadows, shore or marsh.
6. Use a bird identification app such as those created by ebird or Audubon

Birds to Spot if Out Birding in Nevada

If you go out Birding in Nevada, these are other birds that you may be able to spot:

1. Mallard
2. American Coot
3. Canada Goose
4. Red-tailed Hawk
5. Killdeer
6. Ruddy Duck
7. Pied-billed Grebe
8. California Quail
9. Northern Harrier
10. Great Blue Heron
11. American Kestrel
12. Double-crested Cormorant
13. Northern Shoveler
14. Turkey Vulture
15. Eared Grebe
16. Ring-billed Gull
17. Cooper’s Hawk
18. Great Egret
19. White-faced Ibis
20. American Avocet
21. Greater Roadrunner
22. Belted Kingfisher
23. Snowy Egret
24. American White Pelican
25. Great Horned Owl
26. Osprey
27. Golden Eagle
28. Wilson’s Phalarope