7 Common Iowa Birds in the Backyard

You can spot many beautiful species of birds in Iowa right in your own backyard, without needing to trek to a natural park or reserve. The state is on many migratory bird routes, so hundreds of different bird species stop here on their way north or south.

Here are some of the most common species that you can expect to find in your backyard.

American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch is Iowa’s state bird. While many bird species only pass the summer in Iowa, leaving during the harsh prairie winters, the American Goldfinch stays year-round.

You can recognize these birds by their distinctive, bright yellow plumage and black wings. Male American Goldfinches have black spots on their head.

American Goldfinches mostly eat berries and seeds. Sometimes, they will eat small insects (they’re relatively small so these birds struggle with eating larger insects).

Goldfinches are a type of songbird, so you will hear their warbled song sometimes before you see them, particularly during mating season.

These birds love each other’s company but are not big fans of human proximity, so expect them to fly away once they notice your presence.

Black-Capped Chickadee

The Black-Capped Chickadee is one of the most common birds in Iowa.

You will recognize it by its distinctive black cap, or crown of black feathers on top of its head. It also has streaks of black along its wings and back while the rest of its feathers are a light brown. You can also recognize Black-Capped Chickadees by their tiny stature—most are less than 15 cm long!

Black-Capped Chickadees mostly eat fruits and seeds. They also love nuts and their small beaks are surprisingly strong, cracking through even the toughest shells.

Despite their small stature, Black-Capped Chickadees have big personalities. They like to sing and interact with humans—some will even feed out of your hand.

Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal is one of the most distinctive birds of North America.

You can easily recognize the male of this species, particularly in winter, by his bright red plumage, colorful crest, and long tail. Females are duller in color, usually brown with spots of red on the wings and tail but have the same round body shape with a crested head and long tail.

Cardinals are year-round residents even of colder areas of the United States such as Iowa.

Their favorite food is seeds. Their beaks evolved for cracking open seeds and extracting the juicy kernel with their tongues. Besides seeds, cardinals also eat small insects, berries, and even some nuts.

American Robin

The robin is another distinctive bird that even people that don’t know lots about these creatures can recognize.

You can recognize robins by their distinctive red bellies, which are more colorful in the males of the species. The rest of the bird’s feathers are brown. Besides their red breast, you can recognize American Robins by their round shape.

Robins are a species of songbirds, which means that in the spring, your backyard will be full of warbling song if you’re lucky enough to attract these birds.

Robins are fun to observe because they move around by hopping, all the while moving their head, which makes them look like small sentinels.

The females will sit on the nests with distinctive blue eggs while the males bring back food, usually small insects but also nuts, berries, and seeds.

Downy Woodpecker

The downy woodpecker is another bird that you can expect to see in your backyard year-round.

They have psychedelic patterned plumage, with white bellies, black wings with a white checkerboard pattern, and even a black facemask on their white heads. The males have a bright red cap at the back of their head. The feathers on this bird’s head fluff up, which is why they get their name.

These woodpeckers are much smaller than other woodpeckers.

Downy Woodpeckers prefer to live in dense shrubbery or on trees.

They may make an occasional visit to your bird feeder, but they prefer forest to open land. Woodpeckers eat suet, sunflower seeds, and berries. You may see them drilling into trees with their beaks to get food or make a nest.

Blue Jay

Blue Jays are one of the most common birds in the eastern United States, and they range as far west as the prairie states.

You can identify them primarily by their plumage. Blue Jays have bright blue feathers on their head, back, and wings with white bellies. They have black markings along their collars and around their eyes.  Another distinctive feature of the Blue Jay is the crest of feathers along the tops of their heads. They move these feathers depending on their mood or activity.

Blue Jays mostly eat nuts and have sharp beaks that perfected the art of cracking nuts. They will also eat seeds, berries, and some insects. While Blue Jays are beautiful to look at, you may find them uncomfortable to be around. Jays can be quite aggressive, particularly when they are nesting and trying to protect their young.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

The Red-Bellied Woodpecker is another type of woodpecker found in Iowa that frequents backyard feeders.

It is larger than its Downy Woodpecker cousin (and most other backyard birds, although not as large as many wild birds). The Red-Bellied Woodpecker has a red belly, neck, and head with white-and-black striped wings. Their legs and tails are short to help them cling to the sides of trees.

Red-Bellied Woodpeckers eat insects, worms, and plant matter such as seeds and nuts. They use their strong beaks to bore into wood to get their food.

Besides drilling in trees, these birds have another distinctive habit—singing. Their melodious mating calls fill the air in the spring and are pleasing to the ear of female woodpeckers and humans alike.

These are just a few of the most common backyard birds in Iowa.

Even in the cities, you can see several other species, including crows and starlings. Put up a bird feeder, get your binoculars ready, and you could start identifying birds without leaving your house.