Most commonly seen birds in Iowa
Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen near feeders in Iowa 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 69 count sites in Iowa. 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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#41. Sharp-shinned Hawk (tie)
- 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%
#41. Red-tailed Hawk (tie)
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 20%
--- #2. Mississippi: 9%
--- #3. Tennessee: 6%
--- #3. Connecticut: 6%
--- #3. Massachusetts: 6%

#41. Pine Siskin (tie)
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 39%
--- #2. Colorado: 16%
--- #3. Arizona: 15%
--- #4. Maine: 14%
--- #5. Alabama: 10%
#41. Bald Eagle
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alaska: 11%
--- #2. West Virginia: 3%
--- #3. Connecticut: 1%
--- #3. Iowa: 1%
--- #3. Maine: 1%
#40. Pileated Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.12
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Minnesota: 36%
--- #2. Michigan: 19%
--- #2. Wisconsin: 19%
--- #4. Indiana: 18%
--- #5. West Virginia: 15%
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#39. Fox Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.33
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 24%
--- #1. Oregon: 24%
--- #3. Oklahoma: 18%
--- #4. California: 15%
--- #5. Kentucky: 10%
#38. Red-winged Blackbird
- Average group size: 2.4
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 35%
--- #2. Mississippi: 27%
--- #3. Colorado: 23%
--- #4. Texas: 20%
--- #5. Utah: 19%
#37. Wild Turkey
- Average group size: 3.6
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Hampshire: 17%
--- #2. Vermont: 14%
--- #2. Maine: 14%
--- #4. Wyoming: 12%
--- #5. Montana: 10%
#36. Cedar Waxwing
- Average group size: 4.95
- 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%
#34. Carolina Wren (tie)
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. North Carolina: 84%
--- #1. South Carolina: 84%
--- #3. Georgia: 81%
--- #4. Alabama: 80%
--- #5. Virginia: 79%
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#34. Barred Owl
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Iowa: 3%
--- #1. New Hampshire: 3%
--- #3. Massachusetts: 2%
--- #4. Vermont: 1%
#33. Song Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.73
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 57%
--- #2. Kentucky: 54%
--- #3. Oregon: 49%
--- #4. West Virginia: 38%
--- #4. Pennsylvania: 38%
#32. American Robin
- Average group size: 2.26
- 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%

#31. Eastern Bluebird
- Average group size: 2.72
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Georgia: 67%
--- #2. North Carolina: 63%
--- #3. South Carolina: 60%
--- #4. Mississippi: 55%
--- #5. Virginia: 50%
#30. Chipping Sparrow
- Average group size: 3.16
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Georgia: 58%
--- #2. Mississippi: 55%
--- #2. South Carolina: 55%
--- #4. North Carolina: 34%
--- #5. Alabama: 33%
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#29. White-crowned Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.09
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 73%
--- #2. California: 69%
--- #3. Arizona: 59%
--- #4. New Mexico: 31%
--- #5. Washington: 20%
#28. Brown-headed Cowbird
- Average group size: 1.39
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alabama: 23%
--- #2. Ohio: 15%
--- #3. Tennessee: 14%
--- #3. Florida: 14%
--- #3. Delaware: 14%
#27. Common Grackle
- Average group size: 1.85
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Florida: 29%
--- #2. New Jersey: 27%
--- #3. Delaware: 22%
--- #4. Arkansas: 21%
--- #5. Tennessee: 16%
#26. Brown Creeper
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arkansas: 17%
--- #2. Oklahoma: 12%
--- #3. Maine: 11%
--- #4. Indiana: 10%
--- #5. Maryland: 8%
#25. Purple Finch
- Average group size: 2.42
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 27%
--- #2. Arkansas: 25%
--- #2. Georgia: 25%
--- #4. Missouri: 23%
--- #5. North Carolina: 22%
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#24. Red-headed Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.18
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Iowa: 9%
--- #1. Mississippi: 9%
--- #3. Kentucky: 6%
--- #4. Tennessee: 5%
--- #4. Kansas: 5%

#23. Harris's Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.79
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 26%
--- #2. Kansas: 20%
--- #3. Nebraska: 13%
--- #4. Iowa: 9%
--- #5. South Dakota: 6%

#22. Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Average group size: 2.18
- 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. White-throated Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.82
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arkansas: 79%
--- #2. Maryland: 74%
--- #3. New Jersey: 70%
--- #4. Virginia: 68%
--- #5. Delaware: 67%

#20. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Average group size: 2.01
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Missouri: 22%
--- #2. Iowa: 10%
--- #3. Illinois: 4%
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#19. Cooper's Hawk
- Average group size: 1.02
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 33%
--- #2. Arizona: 24%
--- #3. Kentucky: 21%
--- #4. New Jersey: 20%
--- #5. Illinois: 17%
#18. American Crow
- Average group size: 2.14
- 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 Tree Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.89
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Wisconsin: 32%
--- #2. South Dakota: 24%
--- #2. Michigan: 24%
--- #4. Vermont: 23%
--- #5. New York: 20%

#16. Northern Flicker
- Average group size: 1.15
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Montana: 72%
--- #2. Colorado: 67%
--- #3. Washington: 65%
--- #4. Oregon: 62%
--- #5. Nevada: 53%
#15. Tufted Titmouse
- Average group size: 1.63
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 100%
--- #2. Connecticut: 92%
--- #3. North Carolina: 90%
--- #3. Georgia: 90%
--- #5. Massachusetts: 89%
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#14. Hairy Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.17
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Vermont: 72%
--- #2. Maine: 69%
--- #3. New Hampshire: 63%
--- #4. Minnesota: 62%
--- #5. Connecticut: 61%

#13. Mourning Dove
- Average group size: 2.49
- 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%
#12. Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Average group size: 1.18
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 71%
--- #2. Alaska: 61%
--- #3. Washington: 50%
--- #4. Wisconsin: 48%
--- #4. Michigan: 48%

#11. European Starling
- Average group size: 3.84
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Indiana: 74%
--- #2. Kentucky: 69%
--- #3. Ohio: 67%
--- #4. Delaware: 64%
--- #5. Missouri: 56%
#10. White-breasted Nuthatch
- Average group size: 1.46
- 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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#9. American Goldfinch
- Average group size: 3.28
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 79%
--- #2. Missouri: 76%
--- #3. Wisconsin: 75%
--- #3. Arkansas: 75%
--- #5. Maine: 74%
#8. Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.19
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 87%
--- #2. Ohio: 81%
--- #3. Connecticut: 80%
--- #4. Kentucky: 79%
--- #5. Indiana: 78%

#7. House Finch
- Average group size: 4.17
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arizona: 91%
--- #2. Kentucky: 87%
--- #3. Colorado: 86%
--- #3. New Mexico: 86%
--- #3. Indiana: 86%
#6. Blue Jay
- Average group size: 2.2
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nebraska: 87%
--- #2. Indiana: 83%
--- #3. Ohio: 82%
--- #4. Iowa: 81%
--- #5. New Jersey: 80%
#5. Black-capped Chickadee
- Average group size: 2.35
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Vermont: 98%
--- #2. Maine: 96%
--- #2. Massachusetts: 96%
--- #4. Minnesota: 95%
--- #4. Connecticut: 95%
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#4. Northern Cardinal
- Average group size: 2.42
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Kentucky: 100%
--- #2. Arkansas: 96%
--- #2. Missouri: 96%
--- #4. Maryland: 94%
--- #5. Tennessee: 93%

#3. Downy Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.72
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Arkansas: 92%
--- #2. Connecticut: 91%
--- #2. Minnesota: 91%
--- #4. Massachusetts: 90%
--- #5. Iowa: 88%

#2. Dark-eyed Junco
- Average group size: 4.83
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nebraska: 97%
--- #2. Washington: 95%
--- #2. Oregon: 95%
--- #4. Missouri: 92%
--- #4. Delaware: 92%

#1. House Sparrow
- Average group size: 10.21
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Iowa: 91%
--- #2. Illinois: 87%
--- #2. Nebraska: 87%
--- #4. Indiana: 80%
--- #5. Ohio: 79%