Most commonly seen birds in Minnesota
Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen near feeders in Minnesota using data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project FeederWatch. Birds are ranked by the percent of sites visited from Feb 18-Mar 3. Ties are broken by the average group size when seen, any further ties were not broken. Data was collected at 239 count sites in Minnesota. 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.
#40. Barred Owl
- Average group size: 1.03
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oklahoma: 3%
--- #1. Georgia: 3%
--- #1. Nebraska: 3%
--- #4. Iowa: 2%
--- #4. Vermont: 2%
#39. Common Raven
- Average group size: 1.36
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alaska: 31%
--- #2. New Mexico: 18%
--- #3. Nevada: 16%
--- #4. Arizona: 15%
--- #5. California: 8%
#38. Mallard
- Average group size: 5.98
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 8%
--- #2. Utah: 7%
--- #2. Rhode Island: 7%
--- #4. South Dakota: 5%
--- #4. Louisiana: 5%
#37. Northern Shrike
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Wyoming: 6%
--- #2. Minnesota: 2%
--- #2. New Hampshire: 2%
#35. Sharp-shinned Hawk (tie)
- Average group size: 1.02
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Idaho: 12%
--- #2. Nevada: 11%
--- #3. Rhode Island: 10%
--- #4. Oklahoma: 7%
--- #4. New Mexico: 7%
#35. Red-tailed Hawk
- Average group size: 1.02
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Connecticut: 10%
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 10%
--- #3. Oklahoma: 7%
--- #3. Illinois: 7%
--- #5. Missouri: 6%
#34. Song Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.54
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 70%
--- #2. Washington: 59%
--- #3. Oregon: 56%
--- #4. Rhode Island: 50%
--- #5. Delaware: 47%
#33. Common Redpoll
- Average group size: 2.87
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alaska: 41%
--- #2. Minnesota: 2%
--- #2. Michigan: 2%
--- #2. Maine: 2%
--- #5. Wisconsin: 1%
#32. Red-winged Blackbird
- Average group size: 3.05
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Delaware: 60%
--- #2. New Jersey: 56%
--- #3. New York: 48%
--- #4. Louisiana: 45%
--- #4. Illinois: 45%
#31. Brown Creeper
- Average group size: 1.05
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 15%
--- #2. New Hampshire: 13%
--- #3. Washington, D.C.: 10%
--- #3. Oklahoma: 10%
--- #3. South Dakota: 10%
#30. White-throated Sparrow
- Average group size: 1.41
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 80%
--- #2. Arkansas: 79%
--- #3. Delaware: 77%
--- #4. Maryland: 72%
--- #5. Virginia: 69%
#29. Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Average group size: 2.33
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Utah: 69%
--- #2. South Dakota: 67%
--- #3. Wyoming: 61%
--- #4. Idaho: 48%
--- #4. Colorado: 48%
#28. Evening Grosbeak
- Average group size: 9.31
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 21%
--- #2. Vermont: 10%
--- #2. Arizona: 10%
--- #4. New Hampshire: 9%
--- #5. Idaho: 7%
#27. Cooper's Hawk
- Average group size: 1.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 32%
--- #2. Arizona: 26%
--- #3. New Mexico: 18%
--- #4. Illinois: 17%
--- #4. Mississippi: 17%
#26. Tufted Titmouse
- Average group size: 1.43
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 91%
--- #1. Connecticut: 91%
--- #3. New Hampshire: 90%
--- #4. North Carolina: 86%
--- #5. Tennessee: 84%
#25. Pine Siskin
- Average group size: 2.42
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 49%
--- #2. Maine: 20%
--- #2. Colorado: 20%
--- #4. Arizona: 16%
--- #5. Montana: 13%
#24. Rock Pigeon
- Average group size: 3.36
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 32%
--- #2. Arizona: 18%
--- #3. New Mexico: 16%
--- #4. South Dakota: 14%
--- #5. Colorado: 6%
#23. Ring-necked Pheasant
- Average group size: 1.94
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Minnesota: 5%
--- #1. South Dakota: 5%
--- #1. Idaho: 5%
--- #4. Montana: 4%
#22. Pine Grosbeak
- Average group size: 5.57
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alaska: 24%
--- #2. Minnesota: 7%
--- #3. Michigan: 2%
--- #3. Maine: 2%
--- #3. Idaho: 2%
#21. American Robin
- Average group size: 2.51
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 70%
--- #2. Arkansas: 64%
--- #3. Tennessee: 59%
--- #4. Nevada: 58%
--- #5. Oklahoma: 55%
#20. Purple Finch
- Average group size: 2.67
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 50%
--- #2. Arkansas: 32%
--- #3. Alabama: 27%
--- #4. North Carolina: 25%
--- #5. Missouri: 24%
#19. Wild Turkey
- Average group size: 5.93
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 21%
--- #2. New Hampshire: 15%
--- #3. Wisconsin: 12%
--- #3. Minnesota: 12%
--- #5. Wyoming: 11%
#18. Northern Flicker
- Average group size: 1.22
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Utah: 79%
--- #2. Colorado: 66%
--- #3. Montana: 65%
--- #4. Washington: 63%
--- #4. Nevada: 63%
#17. American Tree Sparrow
- Average group size: 2.41
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Wisconsin: 25%
--- #2. Iowa: 23%
--- #2. Vermont: 23%
--- #4. Wyoming: 22%
--- #4. Michigan: 22%
#16. European Starling
- Average group size: 3.29
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 90%
--- #2. Nebraska: 67%
--- #3. Indiana: 66%
--- #4. Ohio: 62%
--- #4. Missouri: 62%
#15. Mourning Dove
- Average group size: 3.6
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 100%
--- #2. New Jersey: 90%
--- #3. West Virginia: 88%
--- #3. Delaware: 88%
--- #5. Rhode Island: 87%
#14. Pileated Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.2
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Minnesota: 28%
--- #2. West Virginia: 21%
--- #3. Michigan: 17%
--- #4. Indiana: 16%
--- #4. Wisconsin: 16%
#13. Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Average group size: 1.29
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 69%
--- #2. South Dakota: 57%
--- #3. Alaska: 55%
--- #4. Montana: 54%
--- #5. Oregon: 45%
#12. American Crow
- Average group size: 2.2
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 49%
--- #2. Oklahoma: 45%
--- #3. North Carolina: 39%
--- #4. Vermont: 37%
--- #5. Georgia: 34%
#11. House Sparrow
- Average group size: 6.34
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 100%
--- #2. Iowa: 88%
--- #3. Illinois: 87%
--- #4. Nebraska: 79%
--- #5. Indiana: 74%
#10. Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.16
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 88%
--- #2. New Jersey: 86%
--- #3. Arkansas: 82%
--- #4. Connecticut: 80%
--- #5. Ohio: 78%
#9. House Finch
- Average group size: 3.64
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Utah: 97%
--- #2. Arizona: 94%
--- #3. New Mexico: 90%
--- #4. Ohio: 87%
--- #5. Colorado: 86%
#8. Blue Jay
- Average group size: 2.4
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Rhode Island: 87%
--- #2. Massachusetts: 77%
--- #3. New Jersey: 76%
--- #4. Nebraska: 73%
--- #4. Ohio: 73%
#7. Hairy Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.31
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Hampshire: 69%
--- #2. Maine: 67%
--- #3. Minnesota: 63%
--- #3. Vermont: 63%
--- #5. Connecticut: 61%
#6. American Goldfinch
- Average group size: 4.97
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 77%
--- #2. Oklahoma: 76%
--- #2. Wisconsin: 76%
--- #4. Michigan: 74%
--- #5. Missouri: 73%
#5. Northern Cardinal
- Average group size: 2.48
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 100%
--- #2. Arkansas: 96%
--- #3. Maryland: 95%
--- #3. South Carolina: 95%
--- #5. West Virginia: 93%
#4. White-breasted Nuthatch
- Average group size: 1.45
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 93%
--- #2. Maine: 85%
--- #2. Vermont: 85%
--- #4. Connecticut: 84%
--- #4. Massachusetts: 84%
#3. Dark-eyed Junco
- Average group size: 4.37
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 96%
--- #2. Washington: 94%
--- #3. New Jersey: 93%
--- #3. Rhode Island: 93%
--- #5. Connecticut: 92%
#2. Downy Woodpecker
- Average group size: 1.75
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington, D.C.: 90%
--- #2. Minnesota: 89%
--- #2. Arkansas: 89%
--- #4. Missouri: 88%
--- #4. Iowa: 88%
#1. Black-capped Chickadee
- Average group size: 3.15
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 97%
--- #2. Minnesota: 96%
--- #3. Vermont: 94%
--- #4. Rhode Island: 93%
--- #5. New Hampshire: 92%