Most commonly seen birds in Washington

Written by:
March 14, 2023
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Most commonly seen birds in Washington

Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen near feeders in Washington 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 269 count sites in Washington. 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. Cedar Waxwing

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 1%
- Average group size: 2.79
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 25%
--- #2. Texas: 20%
--- #3. Georgia: 19%
--- #4. Louisiana: 15%
--- #5. South Carolina: 12%
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#49. Pygmy Nuthatch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 1%
- Average group size: 3.04
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Colorado: 18%
--- #2. California: 10%
--- #3. Arizona: 9%
--- #4. Oregon: 6%
--- #5. Nevada: 5%
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#48. Black-billed Magpie

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 2%
- Average group size: 2.01
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Montana: 63%
--- #2. Alaska: 48%
--- #3. Colorado: 41%
--- #4. Wyoming: 39%
--- #5. Utah: 34%
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#47. Rock Pigeon

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 2%
- Average group size: 7.04
- 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%
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#46. Pacific Wren

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 3%
- Average group size: 1.15
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 3%
--- #2. Oregon: 1%
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#45. White-breasted Nuthatch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 3%
- Average group size: 1.26
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 93%
--- #2. Maine: 85%
--- #2. Vermont: 85%
--- #4. Connecticut: 84%
--- #4. Massachusetts: 84%
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#44. Golden-crowned Kinglet

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 3%
- Average group size: 1.52
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 8%
--- #2. Louisiana: 5%
--- #3. Washington: 3%
--- #3. North Carolina: 3%
--- #3. Georgia: 3%
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#43. Common Raven

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 3%
- Average group size: 1.83
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Alaska: 31%
--- #2. New Mexico: 18%
--- #3. Nevada: 16%
--- #4. Arizona: 15%
--- #5. California: 8%
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#42. Lesser Goldfinch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 3%
- Average group size: 2.57
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 68%
--- #2. California: 66%
--- #3. Arizona: 57%
--- #4. Oregon: 55%
--- #5. Utah: 45%
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#41. Mallard

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 3%
- Average group size: 3.4
- 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%
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#40. White-throated Sparrow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 4%
- Average group size: 1.25
- 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%
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#39. Pine Siskin

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 4%
- Average group size: 2.72
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 49%
--- #2. Maine: 20%
--- #2. Colorado: 20%
--- #4. Arizona: 16%
--- #5. Montana: 13%
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#38. Sharp-shinned Hawk

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 5%
- 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%
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#37. California Quail

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 5%
- Average group size: 9.44
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 21%
--- #2. Idaho: 19%
--- #3. Utah: 17%
--- #4. California: 11%
--- #5. Oregon: 9%
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#36. Brown Creeper

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 6%
- 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%
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#35. Band-tailed Pigeon

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 6%
- Average group size: 5.69
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 16%
--- #2. Washington: 6%
--- #3. Oregon: 2%
--- #4. Arizona: 1%
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#34. Mountain Chickadee

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 7%
- Average group size: 1.75
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 42%
--- #2. Montana: 33%
--- #3. Nevada: 32%
--- #4. Wyoming: 28%
--- #5. Colorado: 27%
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#33. Cooper's Hawk

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 8%
- Average group size: 1.04
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 32%
--- #2. Arizona: 26%
--- #3. New Mexico: 18%
--- #4. Illinois: 17%
--- #4. Mississippi: 17%
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#32. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 9%
- Average group size: 1.14
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Georgia: 27%
--- #2. Louisiana: 25%
--- #3. South Carolina: 23%
--- #4. Texas: 20%
--- #4. Washington, D.C.: 20%
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#31. Eurasian Collared-Dove

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 10%
- Average group size: 2.58
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Utah: 69%
--- #2. South Dakota: 67%
--- #3. Wyoming: 61%
--- #4. Idaho: 48%
--- #4. Colorado: 48%
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#30. Townsend's Warbler

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 12%
- Average group size: 1.09
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 24%
--- #2. California: 14%
--- #3. Washington: 12%
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#29. Pileated Woodpecker

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 12%
- Average group size: 1.18
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Minnesota: 28%
--- #2. West Virginia: 21%
--- #3. Michigan: 17%
--- #4. Indiana: 16%
--- #4. Wisconsin: 16%
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#28. California Scrub-Jay

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 12%
- Average group size: 1.65
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 59%
--- #2. Oregon: 55%
--- #3. Nevada: 37%
--- #4. Washington: 12%
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#27. Red-winged Blackbird

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 13%
- Average group size: 5.66
- 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%
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#26. Mourning Dove

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 14%
- Average group size: 3.69
- 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%
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#25. Fox Sparrow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 15%
- Average group size: 1.56
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 27%
--- #2. Washington: 15%
--- #3. California: 12%
--- #4. Oklahoma: 7%
--- #5. Missouri: 5%
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#24. Hairy Woodpecker

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 16%
- Average group size: 1.21
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Hampshire: 69%
--- #2. Maine: 67%
--- #3. Minnesota: 63%
--- #3. Vermont: 63%
--- #5. Connecticut: 61%
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#23. Purple Finch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 16%
- Average group size: 2.56
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Mississippi: 50%
--- #2. Arkansas: 32%
--- #3. Alabama: 27%
--- #4. North Carolina: 25%
--- #5. Missouri: 24%
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#22. Yellow-rumped Warbler

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 19%
- Average group size: 1.35
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Louisiana: 70%
--- #2. South Carolina: 68%
--- #3. Florida: 66%
--- #3. Georgia: 66%
--- #5. North Carolina: 58%
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#21. White-crowned Sparrow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 19%
- Average group size: 2.43
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Nevada: 74%
--- #2. California: 67%
--- #3. Arizona: 59%
--- #4. New Mexico: 36%
--- #5. Utah: 21%
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#20. House Sparrow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 21%
- Average group size: 3.9
- 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%
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#19. American Goldfinch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 29%
- Average group size: 4.42
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. West Virginia: 77%
--- #2. Oklahoma: 76%
--- #2. Wisconsin: 76%
--- #4. Michigan: 74%
--- #5. Missouri: 73%
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#18. Bushtit

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 29%
- Average group size: 10.36
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. New Mexico: 43%
--- #2. Oregon: 40%
--- #3. Washington: 29%
--- #4. Colorado: 27%
--- #5. Nevada: 26%
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#17. Bewick's Wren

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 31%
- Average group size: 1.09
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 31%
--- #1. Washington: 31%
--- #3. Texas: 22%
--- #4. Nevada: 16%
--- #4. Arizona: 16%
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#16. American Crow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 31%
- Average group size: 2.49
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 49%
--- #2. Oklahoma: 45%
--- #3. North Carolina: 39%
--- #4. Vermont: 37%
--- #5. Georgia: 34%
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#15. Golden-crowned Sparrow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 31%
- Average group size: 3.01
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. California: 41%
--- #2. Oregon: 36%
--- #3. Washington: 31%
--- #4. Nevada: 5%
--- #5. Alaska: 3%
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#14. Downy Woodpecker

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 32%
- Average group size: 1.19
- 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%
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#13. European Starling

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 36%
- Average group size: 3.7
- 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%
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#12. American Robin

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 39%
- Average group size: 2.26
- 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%
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#11. Varied Thrush

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 44%
- Average group size: 1.74
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 44%
--- #2. Oregon: 35%
--- #3. Alaska: 7%
--- #4. Idaho: 5%
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#10. Steller's Jay

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 44%
- Average group size: 2.26
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 44%
--- #1. Washington: 44%
--- #3. Nevada: 21%
--- #4. Colorado: 18%
--- #5. California: 17%
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#9. Red-breasted Nuthatch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 45%
- Average group size: 1.33
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Maine: 69%
--- #2. South Dakota: 57%
--- #3. Alaska: 55%
--- #4. Montana: 54%
--- #5. Oregon: 45%
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#8. Chestnut-backed Chickadee

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 48%
- Average group size: 1.94
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 48%
--- #2. Oregon: 39%
--- #3. California: 37%
--- #4. Alaska: 3%
--- #5. Montana: 2%
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#7. Song Sparrow

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 59%
- Average group size: 1.35
- 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%
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#6. House Finch

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 62%
- Average group size: 4.0
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Utah: 97%
--- #2. Arizona: 94%
--- #3. New Mexico: 90%
--- #4. Ohio: 87%
--- #5. Colorado: 86%
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#5. Northern Flicker

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 63%
- Average group size: 1.69
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Utah: 79%
--- #2. Colorado: 66%
--- #3. Montana: 65%
--- #4. Washington: 63%
--- #4. Nevada: 63%
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#4. Anna's Hummingbird

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 66%
- Average group size: 1.64
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Oregon: 73%
--- #2. Washington: 66%
--- #3. California: 63%
--- #4. Arizona: 55%
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#3. Spotted Towhee

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 71%
- Average group size: 1.89
- States with the highest percent of sites visited
--- #1. Washington: 71%
--- #2. Oregon: 60%
--- #3. Nevada: 53%
--- #4. New Mexico: 52%
--- #5. Utah: 48%
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#2. Black-capped Chickadee

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 80%
- Average group size: 2.22
- 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%
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#1. Dark-eyed Junco

- Sites visited Feb 18-Mar 3: 94%
- Average group size: 7.03
- 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%
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