Most commonly seen birds in California
Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen near feeders in California using data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project FeederWatch. Birds are ranked by the percent of sites visited from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6. Ties are broken by the average group size when seen, any further ties were not broken. Data was collected at 340 count sites in California. States with less than 10 count sites were not included in rankings for each bird.
Project FeederWatch, a citizen science project where participants collect data on birds at their feeders, was founded in Ontario by Erica Dunn and the Long Point Bird Observatory in 1976. The project partnered with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology after 10 years to scale the project across the U.S. and Canada and now has over 20,000 participants.
The data Project FeederWatch collects is used by scientists to understand trends in bird populations. If you would like to participate as a FeederWatcher you can learn more about the project here.
Read on to see which birds are most commonly seen in your state.
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#50. Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Idaho: 16%
--- #2. Missouri: 7%
--- #2. Kansas: 7%
--- #2. Utah: 7%
--- #5. Connecticut: 6%
#49. Red-shouldered Hawk
- Average group size: 1.05
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Florida: 11%
--- #2. Maryland: 9%
--- #2. Oklahoma: 9%
--- #4. North Carolina: 8%
--- #4. Virginia: 8%
#48. Red-winged Blackbird
- Average group size: 6.36
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 35%
--- #2. Mississippi: 27%
--- #3. Colorado: 23%
--- #4. Texas: 20%
--- #5. Utah: 19%
#47. Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Average group size: 1.35
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 71%
--- #2. Alaska: 61%
--- #3. Washington: 50%
--- #4. Wisconsin: 48%
--- #4. Michigan: 48%
#46. Scaly-breasted Munia
- Average group size: 6.89
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 5%
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#45. White-throated Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.53
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arkansas: 79%
--- #2. Maryland: 74%
--- #3. New Jersey: 70%
--- #4. Virginia: 68%
--- #5. Delaware: 67%
#44. Western Bluebird
- Average group size: 2.48
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 13%
--- #2. Arizona: 9%
--- #3. California: 6%
--- #4. Oregon: 3%

#43. European Starling
- Average group size: 3.35
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Indiana: 74%
--- #2. Kentucky: 69%
--- #3. Ohio: 67%
--- #4. Delaware: 64%
--- #5. Missouri: 56%
#42. Band-tailed Pigeon
- Average group size: 4.22
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 6%
--- #2. Washington: 2%
--- #3. Arizona: 1%
--- #3. Oregon: 1%
#41. Cedar Waxwing
- Average group size: 6.4
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Texas: 16%
--- #2. Mississippi: 9%
--- #2. Idaho: 9%
--- #4. South Carolina: 8%
--- #5. North Carolina: 7%
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#40. Common Raven
- Average group size: 2.1
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alaska: 25%
--- #2. New Mexico: 19%
--- #3. Wyoming: 12%
--- #4. Arizona: 8%
--- #5. California: 7%

#39. Orange-crowned Warbler
- Average group size: 1.11
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Texas: 28%
--- #2. Mississippi: 18%
--- #3. Nevada: 13%
--- #4. Louisiana: 9%
--- #5. California: 8%
#38. Purple Finch
- Average group size: 2.07
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 27%
--- #2. Arkansas: 25%
--- #2. Georgia: 25%
--- #4. Missouri: 23%
--- #5. North Carolina: 22%
#37. Pygmy Nuthatch
- Average group size: 2.89
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Colorado: 18%
--- #2. California: 10%
--- #3. New Mexico: 9%
--- #4. Arizona: 7%
--- #5. South Dakota: 6%
#36. California Quail
- Average group size: 9.27
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 33%
--- #2. Idaho: 20%
--- #3. California: 10%
--- #4. Oregon: 7%
--- #4. Washington: 7%
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#35. Bushtit
- Average group size: 5.57
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 44%
--- #2. Oregon: 35%
--- #2. Colorado: 35%
--- #4. Washington: 30%
--- #5. Nevada: 27%

#34. Cooper's Hawk
- Average group size: 1.01
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 33%
--- #2. Arizona: 24%
--- #3. Kentucky: 21%
--- #4. New Jersey: 20%
--- #5. Illinois: 17%
#33. Acorn Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.97
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 13%
--- #2. Oregon: 9%
--- #3. Arizona: 8%
--- #4. New Mexico: 2%
#32. Allen's Hummingbird
- Average group size: 1.34
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 14%

#31. Downy Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.14
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arkansas: 92%
--- #2. Connecticut: 91%
--- #2. Minnesota: 91%
--- #4. Massachusetts: 90%
--- #5. Iowa: 88%
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#30. Northern Flicker
- Average group size: 1.23
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Montana: 72%
--- #2. Colorado: 67%
--- #3. Washington: 65%
--- #4. Oregon: 62%
--- #5. Nevada: 53%

#29. Fox Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.57
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 24%
--- #1. Oregon: 24%
--- #3. Oklahoma: 18%
--- #4. California: 15%
--- #5. Kentucky: 10%
#28. Steller's Jay
- Average group size: 2.46
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 53%
--- #2. Oregon: 42%
--- #3. Nevada: 33%
--- #4. Colorado: 21%
--- #5. Alaska: 18%
#27. American Goldfinch
- Average group size: 3.95
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 79%
--- #2. Missouri: 76%
--- #3. Wisconsin: 75%
--- #3. Arkansas: 75%
--- #5. Maine: 74%
#26. Black Phoebe
- Average group size: 1.07
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 16%
--- #2. Arizona: 1%
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#25. Northern Mockingbird
- Average group size: 1.12
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 64%
--- #2. South Carolina: 57%
--- #3. Alabama: 53%
--- #4. Georgia: 49%
--- #5. Tennessee: 46%
#24. Townsend's Warbler
- Average group size: 1.19
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 19%
--- #2. California: 16%
--- #3. Washington: 7%

#23. Hermit Thrush
- Average group size: 1.11
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. North Carolina: 18%
--- #2. California: 17%
--- #3. Georgia: 15%
--- #4. Virginia: 13%
--- #5. Alabama: 8%

#22. Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Average group size: 2.76
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Wyoming: 65%
--- #1. South Dakota: 65%
--- #3. Utah: 63%
--- #4. Idaho: 55%
--- #5. Colorado: 48%
#21. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Average group size: 1.08
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Georgia: 47%
--- #2. South Carolina: 37%
--- #3. Mississippi: 36%
--- #4. Alabama: 33%
--- #5. North Carolina: 32%
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#20. Song Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.29
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 57%
--- #2. Kentucky: 54%
--- #3. Oregon: 49%
--- #4. West Virginia: 38%
--- #4. Pennsylvania: 38%

#19. Nuttall's Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.14
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 21%
#18. American Crow
- Average group size: 2.5
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 44%
--- #2. Maine: 42%
--- #2. Arkansas: 42%
--- #4. Minnesota: 38%
--- #5. Virginia: 32%
#17. American Robin
- Average group size: 2.31
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 47%
--- #2. Tennessee: 41%
--- #2. North Carolina: 41%
--- #4. Washington: 39%
--- #4. New Mexico: 39%
#16. White-breasted Nuthatch
- Average group size: 1.37
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 87%
--- #2. West Virginia: 85%
--- #3. Connecticut: 84%
--- #3. Vermont: 84%
--- #5. Massachusetts: 83%
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#15. House Sparrow
- Average group size: 3.85
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Iowa: 91%
--- #2. Illinois: 87%
--- #2. Nebraska: 87%
--- #4. Indiana: 80%
--- #5. Ohio: 79%
#14. Bewick's Wren
- Average group size: 1.09
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 33%
--- #2. California: 31%
--- #3. Texas: 20%
--- #3. New Mexico: 20%
--- #5. Oregon: 14%
#13. Spotted Towhee
- Average group size: 1.55
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 67%
--- #2. Oregon: 66%
--- #3. Nevada: 47%
--- #3. New Mexico: 47%
--- #5. Utah: 44%
#12. Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Average group size: 1.5
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 60%
--- #2. Georgia: 58%
--- #3. South Carolina: 55%
--- #4. North Carolina: 46%
--- #5. Florida: 45%
#11. Chestnut-backed Chickadee
- Average group size: 2.22
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 51%
--- #2. California: 39%
--- #2. Oregon: 39%
--- #4. Alaska: 7%
--- #5. Montana: 3%
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#10. Oak Titmouse
- Average group size: 1.32
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 43%
--- #2. Oregon: 4%

#9. Golden-crowned Sparrow
- Average group size: 2.79
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 43%
--- #2. Oregon: 36%
--- #3. Washington: 34%
--- #4. Alaska: 11%
--- #5. Nevada: 7%
#8. California Scrub-Jay
- Average group size: 1.57
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 53%
--- #2. California: 49%
--- #3. Nevada: 40%
--- #4. Washington: 10%
#7. California Towhee
- Average group size: 1.48
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 56%

#6. Dark-eyed Junco
- Average group size: 3.58
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nebraska: 97%
--- #2. Washington: 95%
--- #2. Oregon: 95%
--- #4. Missouri: 92%
--- #4. Delaware: 92%
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#5. Lesser Goldfinch
- Average group size: 4.4
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 80%
--- #2. California: 59%
--- #3. Utah: 52%
--- #4. Arizona: 47%
--- #5. Oregon: 43%

#4. Mourning Dove
- Average group size: 3.69
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 87%
--- #1. Kentucky: 87%
--- #3. New Jersey: 86%
--- #4. Mississippi: 82%
--- #4. Indiana: 82%
#3. Anna's Hummingbird
- Average group size: 1.74
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 70%
--- #1. Washington: 70%
--- #3. California: 65%
--- #4. Arizona: 48%
#2. White-crowned Sparrow
- Average group size: 4.59
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 73%
--- #2. California: 69%
--- #3. Arizona: 59%
--- #4. New Mexico: 31%
--- #5. Washington: 20%

#1. House Finch
- Average group size: 4.68
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arizona: 91%
--- #2. Kentucky: 87%
--- #3. Colorado: 86%
--- #3. New Mexico: 86%
--- #3. Indiana: 86%
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