Ever seen a bird at your feeder and wondered what type of bird it is? If you live in Southern California, it’s likely to be one of these common backyard birds. Whether you need help identifying a bird, or you’d like to know what birds you can expect to attract with your new feeder, this list is for you. Here are the top ten most common backyard birds of Southern California and which foods attract them:

House Finch

A house finch perches on a bird feeder with a seed kernel in its beak.

House Finches are small birds that are known to frequent SoCal feeders regularly. The male has a rosy face and breast, while the female is a less opulent shade of brown. You’ll find these birds in both rural and urban areas, as they’re some of the most prolific bird-feeder visitors in the area.

Favorite foods: Black-oil sunflower seed, Nyjer seed, suet, nectar, and fruits that include peaches, plums, and strawberries.

Allen’s Hummingbird

An Allen's hummingbird perches on a tree branch, showing off its brightly colored chest.

As are most hummingbirds, Allen’s Hummingbirds are small and colorful. You will notice them by their copper orange and green coloring. They also make a distinct “ticking” sound as they fly from flower to flower, or to your feeder, to find nectar. These hummingbirds are mostly found along the California coast.

Favorite foods: Nectar, tree sap, and small insects.

California Scrub-Jay

Check out the hilarious antics of a mating California Scrub-Jay in this video:

You won’t miss these vibrantly blue birds, though you may confuse them for a Bluebird. The California Scrub-Jay, though, has an electric-blue coloring on its back, and a soft gray breast. This songbird has a hooked bill used for eating its favorite food: acorns. They’re also fun to watch during mating season, when they can be seen performing a series of hops and lunges while fanning their tailfeathers.

Favorite foods: Acorns, sunflower seeds, peanuts, suet, and mealworms.

Mourning Dove

A soft gray mourning dove takes a break while perching on a bird house.

Ever heard a soft coo from your backyard? That’s the sweet sound of a Mourning Dove. And since they mate for life, you’ll often see, not one, but two doves traveling as a pair to your feeder. They also can be found grazing on fallen seed on the ground, and as such are especially vulnerable to predators like outdoor cats. These graceful-looking birds use their song to attract the opposite sex, and the sound of their wing flutter to warn off predators.

Favorite foods: Seeds, peanuts, cracked corn, and berries.

Black Phoebe

A black phoebe shown perched in profile, its distinctive cap highlighted.

You’ll notice the Black Phoebe by its distinctive peaked cap, soot-black coloring, and contrasting white belly. This flycatcher loves insects of all kinds, so you can often find them perched in places where bugs gather, like creeks and ponds (and your backyard, if you provide the right environment). In fact, if you wish to attract more of them, simply add a water feature, like a birdbath or fountain, to your yard.

Favorite foods: Insects and mealworms.

Spotted Towhee

A spotted towhee, like the one shown, has a white and gold chest, black cap, and black feathers dotted with white spots.

As its name suggests, the Spotted Towhee sports black feathers spotted with white. Their breast is a mix of copper and white coloring. A sparrow on the larger side (bigger than a song sparrow, yet smaller than a robin), the Spotted Towhee is often found in dense shrubbery. These vocal birds use a series of trilling songs, mews, and chirps to call to mates, sound an alarm, or warn other birds in their territory.

Favorite foods: Sunflower seeds, peanut pieces, suet, acorns, insects, and berries.

White-Crowned Sparrow

A white-crowned sparrow perches atop a tree, it's striated black-and-white head shown in profile.

You’ll recognize this sparrow by the black-and-white stripes on its head. A small bird, the White-Crowned Sparrow is most commonly seen up north and in the mountains in summer, and in the lowlands come winter. They can often be found on the ground under your feeders, eating the spilled seed.

Favorite foods: Sunflower and other seeds, suet, corn, insects, and berries.

Anna’s Hummingbird

A brightly colored Anna's hummingbird seen mid-flight.

These energetic little birds are known for their vibrant, fuchsia-colored throats and bright, emerald-green backs. Slightly larger than a Rufous Hummingbird, they—like most of their type—Anna’s Hummingbirds are often seen busily flitting from flower to flower. These colorful little creatures love gardens and city parks, and can be seen buzzing and diving during courtship to catch the attention of suitors.

Favorite foods: Nectar and insects.

American Goldfinch

A yellow-and-black American goldfinch perches, its plumage shining brightly in the sun.

The American Goldfinch is bright yellow with a black cap and wings. If you want to attract more of these stunners to your backyard, plant native plants (including thistles and milkweed). They also love yellow and other brightly colored flowers, like sunflowers and coneflowers. These goldfinches often feed while hanging upside down—and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a front-row seat to some of the aerial acrobatics they’re known for.

Favorite foods: Nyjer and sunflower seeds, suet, mealworms, and insects.

American Robin

An American Robin bears its signature orange breast.

Known for helping Mary Poppins administer a “Spoonful of Sugar,” American Robins are little orange-breasted birds known for their cheerful song. You’ll often hear them before you see them, as American Robins sing their morning and night without many breaks. And as the infamous “early bird that catches the worm,” these robins love eating earthworms, scooping them up from the soil (and often in pre-dawn hours).

Favorite foods: Sunflower seeds, suet, peanut pieces, mealworms, jelly, insects, and fruit.

SoCal Bird-Feeding Checklist

Chirp's "Better" Beginner Bird Feeding Kit, on sale in the Chirp store.
Chirp’s “Better” Beginner Bird Feeding Kit, on sale in the Chirp store.

No matter where you live in Southern California, here are some tools for attracting and identifying the birds at your feeders:

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