Males are totally orange on their breasts, underbodies, and rump with some orange tail feathers, a dark hood on their entire head, and black backs with white stripes on their wings. Females’ coloring is a much more muted yellowish orange. Baltimore Orioles are migratory birds so look for them in the spring and summer.

Eastern Bluebirds have a blue back with rusty reddish-orange bellies. Males are bright while female’s coloring appears much duller. They are very common in backyards, though not so much at feeders. Appear year-round in Illinois.

Northern Cardinals are among the most recognizable and common backyard birds in North America. Males have bright red feathers and black masks, and females have duller colors and are pale brown with some reddish coloring. Both are easily recognized by their “mohawks” and reddish orange beaks. Visit year-round in Illinois.

Chickadees are tiny little birds that are easy to recognize because of their “black cap” and black bib. Their cheeks are solid white, wings and backs are gray, and underbodies are fluffy and light. They are very common at bird feeders and are often seen darting back and forth from a feeder to cover and back again for more. A year-round visitor to Illinois.

During spring and summer, American Goldfinches are mostly bright yellow with black-tipped wings. Males will also have a black cap. In the winter they will molt and lose these flashy colors and be more dull, brownish, or olive-colored. Appears year-round in Illinois.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are emerald-green on their backs, wings, and heads with white underparts. Males have a bright ruby-red throat. Females lack the red throat feathers. Hummers migrate, usually arrive in Illinois in mid-April, and leave by October.

Dark-Eyed Juncos have blackish gray heads and are overall a dark slate gray on top, but a lighter grayish white on their bottom half, and a light pink beak. Females and immatures can appear more of a buffy brown color. They are most common in forests and wooded areas where they can often be seen hopping around on the ground. Found in Illinois only during the winter months.

Doves are very common in backyards and will often sit perched on telephone wires or in groups in trees. You can see them walking around on the ground. Mourning Doves are mostly gray with black spots on top and a pale peachy color below. A year-round visitor in Illinois.

White-Breasted Nuthatches have a thick black stripe on top of their heads, with white on either side and on their bellies. Their wings are mostly gray and black. They are great at hopping up and down trees vertically, and often hang upside down at feeders. Visit year-round in Illinois.

American Robins are bright red, round bellies, and yellow beaks. While they will occasionally visit bird feeders, they are mostly seen hopping around the grass looking for worms and other invertebrates to eat. They do really like bird baths. Seen year-round in Illinois.

There are two kinds of sparrows in Illinois – House Sparrow and Song Sparrow. Both are mostly brown in color, with some black and brown streaking on their wings and buffy chests. Appear year-round in Illinois.

Tufted Titmice are silver-gray on top and lighter on bottom, with a black patch just above their beaks. Like Cardinals, they have a small crest (the “mohawk”) that helps you tell them apart from other birds. Year-round in Illinois.

There are a few varieties of woodpeckers in Illinois, the common ones are: Northern Flickers, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, and Downy Woodpeckers. Visit year-round in Illinois.