Did you know that there are over 480 different species of birds in Oklahoma? That’s a lot of birds! In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most fascinating facts about the birds in our state.
We will also provide tips on how to attract these beautiful creatures to your backyard. So, whether you’re a nature enthusiast or just looking for something fun to do on a weekend, read on for some interesting information about Oklahoma’s feathered friends!
What is the most common bird in Oklahoma?
The most common bird in Oklahoma is the northern bobwhite. This bird is found in woodlands and grasslands across the state. Bobwhites are small, plump birds with a white throat and belly.
They get their name from their distinctive call, which sounds like “bob-white.” Bobwhites are usually seen in pairs or small groups and are known for their playful behavior. These birds are ground-dwellers and eat a diet of seeds, insects, and other small animals.
What is the state bird of Oklahoma?
The state bird of Oklahoma is the scissor-tailed flycatcher. This bird is found in open woodlands and prairies across the state. Scissor-tailed flycatchers are medium-sized birds with long, pointed tails. They get their name from their characteristic tail pattern, which resembles a pair of scissors.
These birds are very active and are often seen perching on power lines or chasing insects in the air. Scissor-tailed flycatchers eat a diet of insects, berries, and other small animals.
What is the rarest bird in Oklahoma?
The rarest bird in Oklahoma is the Wood Stork. This bird is found in woodlands and wetlands across the state. Wood storks are large birds with long, pointed beaks. They get their name from their habit of feeding on wood-dwelling insects.
Wood storks are very rare in Oklahoma and are only seen occasionally. These birds eat a diet of small fish, crustaceans, and insects.
What is the most interesting bird in Oklahoma?
The most interesting bird in Oklahoma is the Mexican Violetear. This bird is found in woodlands and mountains across the state. Mexican Violetears are small birds with brightly colored feathers. They get their name from their characteristic violet plumage.
Mexican Violetears are very rare in Oklahoma and are only seen occasionally. These birds eat a diet of insects, berries, and other small animals.
Common Backyard Birds in Oklahoma
Common birds found in Oklahoma include:
The most Common backyard birds found in Oklahoma include:
American Goldfinch
The American Goldfinch is a small songbird with a bright yellow head and back, olive-brown wings, and a black streak on its cheek. It has a white belly and undertail coverts, and its bill is short, straight, and pointed. The males have black wings and tail, while the females are paler in color with grayish-brown wings. Both sexes have yellow feathers, but the males are generally more brightly colored.
The American Goldfinch’s natural habitat is open areas with some trees, such as fields, meadows, and edges of woods. They are also found in urban and suburban areas. American Goldfinches are found throughout most of North America. Their range extends from southern Canada to northern Mexico.
American Goldfinches build nests out of twigs, grasses, and leaves. American Goldfinches usually lay four or five eggs per clutch. The eggs are pale blue with brown spots and are about half an inch long.
These birds are usually seen in flocks feeding on thistle seeds. They will also eat other small seeds, such as those from dandelions, sunflowers, and safflowers. In the winter, they may eat berries and fruits.
Scientific name: Spinus tristis
Length: 11–14 cm / 4.3–5.5 in
Wingspan: 19–22 cm / 7.5–8.7 in
Weight: 11–20 g / 0.39–0.71 oz
European Starlings
The European Starling is a small, black bird. These birds are found in woodlands and fields across the state. European Starlings are known for their aggressive behavior and their ability to mimic other birds’ calls. These birds eat a diet of insects, berries, and other small animals.
American Robin
The American robin is a migratory songbird that breeds in North America. The adult male has dark gray-brown upperparts and a rusty red breast. The female has similar coloring, but with a paler throat and breastIts bill is slender and pointed, with an orange base and black tip. It has a white throat area with a yellow breast that fades into brown on the belly. Its legs are brownish-black in color. When perched, it has a distinct crest that resembles a hood or bonnet – this is used as camouflage when hunting for food on the ground or in tall grasses where predators might hide from view!
The American Robin can be found in thickets, shrubs, and forests across North America. They are most commonly seen in deciduous forests, especially those with a dense understory of shrubs.
American Robins nest in cavities in trees; however, they will also nest on man-made structures such as houses or sheds if there aren’t any good natural sites available nearby (like a hollow tree). When breeding season comes along each spring (May through June), mating pairs will lay up to six eggs per clutch (group of eggs laid at one time) which hatch after about two weeks of incubation by both parents (for about 21 days total).
Like most birds, American Robins are omnivores—they eat both meat and vegetable matter. They primarily eat insects, worms, fruit and berries during the summer months when they’re raising young. In fall and winter they also feed on seeds and nuts dropped by trees in autumn as well as berries from evergreen trees like holly or pine cones from pine trees.
Scientific name: Turdus migratorius
Length: 23 to 28 cm / 9.1 to 11.0 in
Wingspan: 31 to 41 cm / 12 to 16 in
Weight: 77 g / 2.7 oz
Blue Jays
The Blue Jay is a medium-sized, blue bird. These birds are found in woodlands and fields across the state. Blue Jays are known for their loud calls and their playful behavior. These birds eat a diet of insects, berries, and other small animals.
Carolina Chickadee
The Carolina Chickadee is a small songbird with a black cap and bib, white cheeks and throat, gray back and wings, black tail with white edges, white belly, brownish-gray legs and feet with dark claws. The male has a reddish-brown spot on the back of his neck during breeding season. The female lacks this marking and has a slightly longer bill than her mate.
It is common in forests and woodlands throughout the eastern United States. These birds are acrobatic foragers, often hanging upside down as they search for insects in crevices. Chickadees are also known for their habit of storing food for winter. They will often hide seeds in small cavities or cracks, and then return later to retrieve them.
The Carolina Chickadee prefers deciduous woodlands with an open understory where they can easily find food in springtime before breeding season begins in late May or early June when males return to their territories to court females who will lay 2-6 eggs in an abandoned woodpecker nest or old squirrel nest located high off the ground (usually at least 10 feet above the ground). Both parents incubate the eggs for 12 days before they hatch; after hatching they spend another 15 days inside their nest before fledging (flying out) into the world.
The Carolina Chickadee’s diet consists mainly of insects, seeds, berries and fruit. The chickadees can be seen foraging for insects by picking them off leaves or bark, or catching them on the wing. They also eat seeds from acorns and pine cones as well as nuts from hickory trees. They also eat berries, fruit and tree sap when they’re available.
Scientific name: Poecile carolinensis
Length: 11.5–13 cm / 4.5–5.1 in
Wingspan: 15 to 20cm / 5.9–7.9 in
Weight: 9–12 g / 0.32–0.42 oz
Northern Cardinal
These beautiful creatures can often be seen perched atop trees or bushes, their striking red feathers standing out against the green backdrop. Cardinals are territorial birds and typically remain close to their home territory, so you are likely to see them in the same spot every time you visit. The male cardinal is brighter red than the female, with a black mask around his face. The female cardinal is more of a reddish-brown color.
Northern cardinals are found in woodlands, gardens, and forests in the eastern United States. They have also been spotted in southern Canada. Cardinals are not migratory birds, which means they will stay in the same general area year-round.
Male and female cardinals mate for life. The female cardinal builds a nest out of twigs, leaves, and grass, and lines it with strips of bark, hair, and feathers. She will lay three to four eggs in her nest, which the male cardinal will help to incubate. Once the eggs hatch, both parents will feed the nestlings until they are old enough to leave the nest and fend for themselves.
Northern cardinals eat a variety of foods, including insects, fruits, and seeds. In the summer months, they eat more insects than in the winter. Some of their favorite insect prey includes grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles. Cardinals also enjoy eating suet.
Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Length: 21–23 cm / 8.3–9.1 in
Wingspan: 25–31 cm / 9.8–12.2
Weight: 33.6–65 g / 1.19–2.29oz
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebirds have bright blue feathers, a reddish orange belly and a black mask that extends from the bill to the eyes. They have a lighter coloration than other blue birds, and their wingspan is about 8 inches.
Eastern Bluebirds are common throughout North America, including Canada and the United States. Their range extends from Nova Scotia to Florida, west to the Rocky Mountains and north into Canada.
They prefer open areas with trees or shrubs where they can perch while hunting for insects. They’ll also nest in barns or even backyards if those locations have enough natural vegetation nearby for food sources for their young.
Bluebirds eat mostly insects, but will also eat seeds, nuts and berries when available. They are known for eating spiders, beetles and other arthropods (insects with exoskeletons).
Scientific name: Sialia sialis
Length: 16–21 cm / 6.3–8.3 in
Wingspan: 25–32 cm / 9.8–12.6 in
Weight: 27–34 g / 0.95–1.20 oz
House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is a small, brown and gray bird with a black stripe on its head. The male has a gray breast and the female has a buff-colored breast. These birds are found in open areas near human habitation throughout the world.
House sparrows eat mostly seeds, but will also eat insects, fruits, and berries. They are known for eating spiders, beetles and other arthropods (insects with exoskeletons).
Scientific name: Passer domesticus
Length: 13–15 cm / 32.0–60.0 in
Wingspan: 20–25 cm / 51.0–76.0 in
Weight: 24–39.0 g / 0.85– 01.38 oz
Northern Flicker
The Northern Flicker is a medium-sized woodpecker. It has a brown back and wings, a white breast and belly, and a black cap. The distinctive red stripe on the back of its head can be seen when it flies away. The state bird of Alabama, is known colloquially as the yellowhammer.
The Northern Flicker prefers deciduous forests with large trees, but it also inhabits parks, suburban neighborhoods with large trees, and even cemeteries where there are large oaks or maples. It is not uncommon to see them on utility poles or electrical lines where they can find insects to eat.
Northern Flickers are cavity nesters that build nests out of twigs in holes in trees or logs. The female lays 3–6 eggs after mating, which she incubates while her mate brings her food while she’s sitting on her nestlings. After about two weeks of hatching, the young chicks leave their nest and climb into branches near their parents to be safe from predators until it’s time for them to fledge (leave their nest).
The Northern Flicker is an insectivore that feeds on ants (especially carpenter ants), beetles, bees and wasps, spiders, caterpillars, grasshoppers and crickets. They also eat fruits such as wild cherries and grapes in summertime. They are the only woodpeckers that frequently feed on the ground, using their long beak to probe.
Scientific name: Colaptes auratus
Height: 28–36 cm /11–14 in
Wingspan: 42–54 cm / 17–21 in
Weight: 86–167 g / 3.0–5.9 oz
Dark-eyed Junco
The Dark-eyed Junco is a small, sparrow-like bird with gray or brown upperparts and a white belly. The male has a black head with white stripes on the sides. The female has a gray head. These birds are found in open woodlands and forests in North America.
Dark-eyed juncos eat mostly seeds, but will also eat insects, fruits, and berries. They are known for eating spiders, beetles and other arthropods (insects with exoskeletons). They love black oil sunflower seeds.
Scientific name: Junco hyemalis
Length: 13–17 cm / 32.0–66.0 in
Wingspan: 20–25 cm / 51.0–76.0 in
Weight: 24–39 g / 0.85–01.38 oz
Red-winged Blackbird
The red-winged blackbird has an orange bill with a black tip and white on the bottom half of its bill. Their eyes are dark brown or black, depending on gender. Females have duller plumage than males do, with lighter brown feathers replacing some of the black ones in their tail feathers.
Both genders have grey or white underparts with dark grey or brown backsides depending on gender again; females being browner than males who are greyer overall with less dark coloration on their wings/backside feathers than females do.
Red-winged Blackbirds can be found year-round throughout most of North America as far north as Alaska and Canada (except for some northernmost islands). In winter they migrate southward to Mexico and Central America; some birds also wander further south into South America.
In the breeding season (late spring through early fall), males will often establish a territory near water and build nests on trees or shrubs. The female lays four to six eggs in each nest; both parents incubate them for about two weeks before they hatch. The young fledge after another two weeks of parental care.
They are omnivorous, eating seeds, insects and small vertebrates. Their diet changes with the season; during winter they eat mostly seeds and insects, but in summer they switch to eating small vertebrates such as snails or mice.
Scientific name: Agelaius phoeniceus
Height: 22–24 cm / 8.7–9.4 in
Wingspan: 12–16 inches
Weight: 64 g / 2.3 oz
Common Grackle
Common Grackles are large black birds with a long tail and bright yellow bills. They have white markings on their wings and tail feathers. They make loud rattling calls, and will often take over a bird feeder if they can. Males are larger than females, with brighter colors and longer tails.
Common Grackles are found throughout the United States and Canada. In the summer months, they often live in farm fields where food is abundant. During the winter months, they migrate south to warmer climates such as Florida or Mexico.
Common Grackles usually breed between May and July when they make nests in trees or shrubs using twigs and leaves as building materials. The female lays 4-5 eggs each year, which hatch after about 3 weeks of incubation by both parents. The young birds leave the nest after about 4 weeks but stay with their parents for another month before becoming independent.
Common Grackles eat insects such as ants or beetles as well as berries and seeds from fruit trees like apple trees or juniper bushes; they also eat grain crops like wheat fields during harvest season which can cause issues with farmers who don’t want these birds around their crops!
Scientific Name: Quiscalus quiscula
Height: 28 to 34 cm
Wingspan: 36–46 cm
Weight: 2.6–5.0 oz
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
American Crowd
Mourning Dove
The Mourning Dove are a common sight in North America. It has a white tail with black stripes and a brown breast with white spots. The back is brownish gray with black streaks on it. Their faces are grayish white with dark eyes and small black bills. They have short tails and long legs. They also have long necks that they use to peck at things on the ground.
Mourning Doves got their name from their call, which sounds like they are saying “mournful” or “sorrowful.”
Mourning Doves mate for life and raise one brood each year between April and July depending on where they live in North America (southern regions have earlier breeding seasons). After mating, the female builds a nest from sticks gathered from nearby trees or shrubs then lays two eggs which she incubates for an average of 13 days before hatching takes place around day 14-16 after laying eggs (depending on temperature).
Both parents feed their young by regurgitating food into their mouths using their bills until they fledge around day 20-21 after hatching takes place (depending on temperature).
The diet of Mourning Doves consists primarily of seeds, but they will also eat insects when available. They are known for eating sunflower seeds from birdfeeders, so if you have one in your yard chances are you’ll see them frequently!
Scientific name: Zenaida macroura
Length: 31 cm / 12 in
Wingspan: 37–45 cm / 12.2–17.7 in
Weight: 112–170 g / 4.0–6.0 oz
Red-bellied Woodpecker
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that lives in the eastern part of North America, from Canada to Mexico. It’s also called the Red-breasted Sapsucker or the Red-headed Woodpecker. This bird has a black head, with a red crown and nape. Its back is a reddish brown color and its chest is white. It has black wings with white spots on them, as well as a white belly and tail.
Red-bellied woodpeckers live in North America from Canada through Mexico as well as parts of Central America such as Belize and Guatemala where they inhabit forests and woodlands where they can find plenty of food sources such as insects or fruit trees along with nest holes made by other birds that they use for nesting themselves if necessary.
The breeding season for red-bellied woodpeckers begins in May or June when males will begin to make a variety of sounds to attract females during courtship. Once mating has occurred, females will lay about four eggs that hatch after about two weeks. When young birds are born they are fed by both parents until they are old enough to be on their own (usually around six weeks).
Red-bellied Woodpeckers feed on insects such as ants, beetles, grubs and spiders that they find by drilling holes into trees.
Scientific name: Melanerpes carolinus
Height: 22.85 to 26.7 cm / 9 to 10.51 in
Wingspan: 38 to 46 cm / 15 to 18 in
Weight: 2.0-3.2 oz / 56-91 g
Northern mockingbirds
Brown-headed Cowbird
The Brown-headed Cowbird is a medium-sized black bird with a large bill and long tail that has white spots on the outer feathers. It has a distinctive brown cap, which gives it its name. It has no crest, unlike many other blackbirds. Its wings are pointed and slightly shorter than its tail.
The brown-headed cowbird lives in open grasslands and woodlands across North America and Central America, as well as parts of South America and southern Canada. They prefer areas within these regions that have some trees or shrubs for shelter from predators such as owls but still offer plenty of open space for feeding on insects and seeds from the ground. They will also visit urban parks and gardens during migration periods when food becomes scarce in their preferred habitats further north
The female cowbird does not build a nest but lays its eggs directly into the host’s nest while it is being built or after it has hatched. The host then raises the chicks as if they were their own offspring.
The Brown-headed Cowbird is an omnivore and both predator and scavenger. It eats insects, spiders, worms, seeds, fruits, berries and grains. It also eats other birds’ eggs and young chicks, so it’s considered a brood parasite.
Scientific name: Molothrus ater
Length: 16–22 cm / 6.3–8.7 in
Wingspan: 36 cm / 14 in
Weight: 30–60 g / 1.1–2.1 oz
Carolina Wren
Song Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
House Finch
Eurasian collared dove
The Eurasian collared dove is a medium-sized dove with gray upperparts and a white belly. The male has a black collar around his neck and the female has a brown collar. These birds are found in open woodlands and forests in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Eurasian collared doves eat mostly seeds, but will also eat insects, fruits, and berries. They are known for eating spiders, beetles and other arthropods (insects with exoskeletons).
Scientific name: Streptopelia decaocto
Length: 31–34 cm / 12.0–13.0 in
Wingspan: 45–50 cm / 18.0–20.0 in
Weight: 150–200 g / 05.29–07.05 oz
Painted Bunting
Owls in Oklahoma
There are 9 species of owls in Oklahoma from the Great Horned Owl to the Western Screech Owl.
