34 Backyard Birds of the Pacific Northwest (Inc. Awesome Photos)

Whether you’re an avid bird watcher or you’ve recently installed a bird feeding station in your backyard, it’s always good to know what types of birds you might find flitting around your garden.

Below, we’re going to take a look at 34 backyard birds of the Pacific Northwest.

We’ll look at their identifying features, discuss their natural habitats, and give you some pointers on how you can attract each of them into your own backyard. 

Quick Answer

Short on time? Here is a full list of 34 birds you can find in your backyard across the Pacific Northwest:

• European Starling
• House Finch
• Mourning Dove
• Lesser Goldfinch
• Barn Swallow
• American Crow
• House Wren
• Steller’s Jay
• Golden-Crowned Kinglet
• Yellow-Rumped Warbler
• Anna’s Hummingbird
• Western Meadowlark
• Northern Flicker
• Swainson’s Thrush
• Downy Woodpecker
• Common Yellowthroat
• Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
• Yellow Warbler
• American Robin
• Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
• Chipping Sparrow
• American Goldfinch
• House Sparrow
• Cedar Waxwing
• Western Tanager
• Pine Siskin
• Song Sparrow
• Golden-Crowned Sparrow
• Red-Winged Blackbird
• Red-Breasted Nuthatch
• Black-Capped Chickadee
• Dark-Eyed Junco
• White-Crowned Sparrow
• Spotted Towhee

Now, let’s take a look at each of these beautiful birds in more detail, including how to entice them into your garden.

European Starling

While not native to the Pacific Northwest, the European Starling is now one of the most common birds you’re likely to see in your backyard.

They can be identified by their iridescent plumage which shimmers in shades of purple, blue, and green. They also sport white markings all over their breast.

The best way to attract a European Starling into your backyard is to offer them black sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet.

They also feed on insects and berries during the spring and summer, and by planting native shrubs you’ll increase your chances of enticing this bird into your garden. 

European Starlings are rarely seen on their own, and travel in noisy flocks. They are also famous for their stunning aerial displays called “murmurations”.

These look like large, black, swirling shapes that move in perfect unison. 

House Finch

Quite a common backyard visitor across the Pacific Northwest, the House Finch can be identified by its bright red head and breast.

These colors are only present in males, however, and female House Finches sport brown streaked plumage all over their body that makes them quite easy to mistake for a sparrow. 

The House Finch isn’t too fussy about where it calls home, and can be found living in forests, mixed woodland, parks, and backyards.

Like the European Starling, the House Finch also lives in large groups and these are renowned for being incredibly noisy!

Attracting the House Finch into your garden is really easy as they are very food-driven.

An offering of sunflower seeds or Nyjer seeds (which seem to be a particular favorite of theirs) is almost guaranteed to entice this little bird into your garden. 

Mourning Dove

One of the larger birds you’ll find in your backyard, the Mourning Dove can be identified by its rust-orange plumage, gray wingtips, and black markings on the side of each eye.

It’s also a plump-looking bird with a head that looks almost comically too small for its body. 

It’s quite common to see a Mourning Dove across the Pacific Northwest, particularly within the lower 48 where they remain resident all year.

They have a pretty varied habitat as well, and can be found in fields, woods, forest edges, grasslands, and backyards. In all of these areas they forage for seeds on the ground, rather than hunting on the wing. 

With this feeding habit in mind, if you want to attract the Mourning Dove to your backyard you’ll need to install a platform feeder as they aren’t able to hang from traditional feeders.

A scattering of cracked corn, peanut hearts, and black sunflower seeds is guaranteed to bring them in!

Lesser Goldfinch

Another super-colorful bird, the Lesser Goldfinch can be spotted visiting bird feeders all over the Pacific Northwest.

It is particularly common in the Southwest, and numbers here increase over the winter as birds from other areas migrate to warmer temperatures.

Male Lesser Goldfinches can be identified by their bright yellow upperparts and underparts along with their black and white streaked wings.

Females are a duller olive-green color on the top and have paler yellow underparts. 

Like most members of the Finch family, the Lesser Goldfinch finds safety in numbers and lives in large, noisy flocks.

They have quite a varied habitat too, and can be found in forest clearings, parks, weedy fields, and backyards.

If you would like to attract the Lesser Goldfinch into your backyard, be sure to fill a bird feeder with Nyjer seed.

This is a particular favorite of all Finches, although they won’t turn down an offering of sunflower seeds either!

Barn Swallow

The Barn Swallow is a summer visitor to the Pacific Northwest, spending its time here to breed and raise its brood before heading back to South and Central America for the winter.

It’s quite rare to spot a Barn Swallow on your garden bird feeders, however, as they are experts at hunting insects on the wing and most commonly seen flying high up in the sky. 

You can identify the Barn Swallow by its distinctive fork-shaped tail. It also has navy blue upperparts, rut-red underparts, and red markings on the face. 

While it’s rare to spot a Barn Swallow in your backyard, it isn’t impossible to attract them.

The best way to entice a Barn Swallow into your garden is to provide them with somewhere safe to nest, such as a nesting box placed at least 2 meters from the ground.

You may also increase your chances by placing crushed up eggshells on a platform feeder which they eat to increase their calcium levels. 

American Crow

One of the most iconic birds in the world, the American Crow can be identified by the jet black feathers that cover the entire of its body.

They are also a large-sized bird and are famous for their loud, cawing sound.

American Crows are common across the Pacific Northwest and can be found in multiple habitats including mixed woodland, forest edges, fields, and urban areas.

They also live in loud, boisterous family groups which can reach as many as two million birds strong in certain areas. 

This bird isn’t a fussy eater and will take pretty much anything that you offer them including fruits, seeds, peanuts, and worms.

They have also been known to feed on unhatched eggs and young nestlings, as well as carrion. 

If you’d like to attract the American Crow into your backyard, an offering of whole peanuts should do the trick.

Be warned, however, that they can bully smaller birds away and may even become a nuisance as they have a tendency to peck at garbage bags to get to a tasty offering contained within.

House Wren

The House Wren is a tiny bird that is almost as round as it is tall. Yet, despite its small size, it has an incredibly loud voice and is famous for its song.

The House Wren can be identified by its dark brown upperparts, light brown underparts, and white eye stripes. It also has a brown barred tail that stands upright. 

A summer visitor to the Pacific Northwest, the House Wren can be found in most States during the breeding season.

As soon as fall comes around, it takes to the wing and migrates to Mexico for the winter, although if temperatures are warm enough some will stay in Southern States all year round. 

Almost exclusively insectivorous, the House Wren’s diet consists of caterpillars, beetles, earwigs and other small insects and invertebrates. This can make it difficult to attract to your garden as it won’t feed from a traditional bird feeder or platform.

However, you can increase your chances of drawing it in by planting native, insect-attracting plants or by leaving piles of brush out for them to use for protection. 

Steller’s Jay

The Steller’s Jay is immediately identifiable by its large size and distinctive, triangle shaped black crest that sticks up from the top of its head.

It also has a jet black back and chest, while the rest of its body is covered with navy blue feathers.

At a quick glance, the Steller’s Jay could be mistaken for a crow, but its crest and blue feathers are the things that you’ll be able to tell it apart from.

You’re most likely to spot a Steller’s Jay in an evergreen forest, although they aren’t committed to this habitat and have been known to venture further to parks and backyards.

They have a pretty varied diet as well, feeding on seeds, fruits, nuts, eggs, even young chicks.

If you’d like to try and attract the Steller’s Jay into your garden, the best thing to do is leave out an offering of suet or peanuts.

Be warned, though – much like the Crow they do have a habit of pecking at trash to try and get to whatever might be inside to feed on!

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

One of the smallest birds on our list, the Golden-Crowned Kinglet is most easily identified by the bright yellow stripe that runs vertically across the top of its head.

This crown patch can also be lifted and used as a signal for warning or when they are excited. The Golden-Crowned Kinglet can also be identified by its olive-green upperparts, pale gray underparts, and white wing bars.

The Golden-Crowned Kinglet is a winter visitor to the Pacific Northwest, spending the spring and summer in Canada for breeding.

However, some will remain in the Appalachians and mountainous West all year round. 

Throughout the summer, the Golden-Crowned Kinglet is exclusively insectivorous. However, come winter they will eat seeds and have evolved a specially shaped beak to prise open pine cones and get to the seeds within. 

Including native planting and conifer trees in your garden is a good way to attract the Golden-Crowned Kinglet, and they have also been known to visit bird feeders that are well stocked with suet and mealworms. 

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

The Yellow-Rumped Warbler is quite common across the Pacific Northwest, spending the spring and summer in Canada before heading South to Central America and Mexico for the winter.

They also migrate in large numbers, making them quite a spectacle as they take to the skies. 

You can identify the Yellow-Rumped Warbler by its namesake yellow rump, and it also has yellow patches on its face and wings. It has a pale gray underside dotted with black, and black and white streaked wings.

There isn’t too much of a difference in appearance between males and females, although females may be slightly browner. 

The Yellow-Rumped Warbler has quite a varied diet and is quite easy to attract to your backyard.

Simply fill your feeders with a suet, sunflower seeds, or peanut butter and you’ll have a really good chance of enticing this colorful little bird into your garden. 

Anna’s Hummingbird

You might associate the Hummingbird with rare, exotic, hard to reach places. But, there are quite a few species that you can spot across the Pacific Northwest.

The Anna’s Hummingbird is one of the most common of these, and it can be identified by its iridescent green feathers that cover most of its body.

Male Anna’s Hummingbirds also have pink throats, while females have just a few red spots instead. 

Throughout spring and summer, you may spot an Anna’s Hummingbird hovering in front of a flower and feeding from the nectar within.

If you have tubular-shaped flowering plants in your backyard you stand a good chance of attracting the Anna’s Hummingbird, although they will also visit Hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water nectar. 

Western Meadowlark

One of the more colorful birds on our list, the Western Meadowlark can be identified by its bright yellow underside and breast, yellow throat, and black V-shaped bib.

It also has brown upperparts and a pale patch underneath each wing dotted with black. Interestingly, during the winter months it loses all of its yellow color, fading to a pale gray instead.

The Western Meadowlark spends the breeding season in Canada and some Northern States before heading further South for the winter.

It has a varied habitat as well, and can be found living in small groups in fields, grasslands, and meadows. 

As ground feeding birds, the Western Meadowlark spends most of its day foraging through leaf litter in search of insects and seeds to feed on.

It will also visit a platform feeder that has cracked corn and sunflower seeds available to eat. 

Northern Flicker

A member of the Woodpecker family, the Northern Flicker is a distinctive looking bird that can be found throughout most of the Pacific Northwest.

It can be identified by its pale brown body that is dotted with black markings, dark gray face, dark brown cap, and scarlet red strips that run from the beak to the cheek. 

One of the more common backyard birds, the Northern Flicker is most abundant in the lower 48 States.

Part of the reason for this is because those that breed in Canada and the far North head further South for winter, thus increasing numbers in these areas. 

Another ground-feeding bird, the Northern Flicker is often spotted searching for insects and seeds to feed on.

They can also be attracted to your backyard with a platform or ground feeder that has an offering of black sunflower seeds or suet placed on top. 

Swainson’s Thrush

A medium-sized songbird, the Swainson’s Thrush is most easily identified by its brown spotted underside that contrasts beautifully with its pale yellow feathers.

It also has dark brown upperparts, a dark brown cap, and slightly lighter brown markings around each eye. 

Despite being present all over the Pacific Northwest, the Swainson’s Thrush is quite an elusive bird.

It is most commonly spotted in spring and summer as it busies itself building a nest and raising a brood. 

The Swainson’s Thrush enjoys a varied diet of insects and fruits, and feeds from the ground.

It can be attracted to your backyard by leaving fruit on a ground feeder, and you can increase your chances by planting native evergreen shrubs that offer them a safe place to nest and roost all year round. 

Downy Woodpecker

Named for their fluffy-looking feathers, the Downy Woodpecker is a small member of the Woodpecker family that can be found all across the Pacific Northwest.

It’s also one of the easiest to identify, thanks to its pure white underside, black upperparts that are dotted with white, and red patch on the cap. It has a black and white striped face as well, adding to its distinctive features. 

You’re most likely to spot a Downy Woodpecker in mixed woodlands or forests where there are plenty of trees for them to drill into and feed from.

They have also been spotted in parks and backyards, though. Essentially, anywhere with an abundance of trees is where this little bird is happiest!

You can attract the Downy Woodpecker to your backyard with an offering of peanuts, millet, and sunflower seeds.

They prefer to feed from platform feeders, but may also hang from suet feeders if these are on offer. 

Common Yellowthroat

Another tiny bird that you can find across most of the Pacific Northwest, the Common Yellowthroat has a few distinctive identifying features.

The first is its namesake bright yellow throat, which also extends down to the breast. It also has a jet black eye mask that is flanked with pale gray and a dark brown cap, while the rest of its body is covered with olive green feathers.

Like many birds, the Common Yellowthroat is most commonly spotted in spring and summer while it builds its nest and raises its chicks.

It is a little fussier than some birds when it comes to where it lives though, choosing to exclusively nest and roost in wetlands and marshes. 

The Common Yellowthroat is exclusively insectivorous which, along with its preferred habitat, can make it difficult to attract to your backyard. It isn’t impossible, though. Planting native shrubs that attract insects will increase your chances, particularly if you live near a wetland area. 

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee

The Chestnut-Backed Chickadee is one the smallest birds you’ll find in the Pacific Northwest.

Its small size is just one of its identifiable characteristics, however, and it can also be identified by its gray wings, black and white head, and namesake chestnut back. It also sports chestnut colored feathers on the underside. 

It’s quite common to see a Chestnut-Backed Chickadee in your backyard as they are frequent visitors to bird feeders.

Their diets consist mainly of insects throughout the summer, but come fall and winter they’ll feed on seeds, fruits, suet, and berries. 

The best way to attract a Chestnut-Backed Chickadee to your garden is by offering them a good variety of food to eat! Fill your feeders with suet, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and scatter mealworms across a platform feeder to really draw them in.

You can increase your chances even more by providing them with a safe place to nest and roost, such as dense shrubs or nesting boxes. 

Yellow Warbler

It’s easy to see how the Yellow Warbler got its name! Almost every part of this bird is covered with bright yellow feathers, the only exception being the chestnut-colored streaks that the male sports across his breast during the summer months. 

Migratory birds, the Yellow Warbler resides in North America for the breeding season before heading South the Central and South America for the winter.

They also migrate in large groups, and the best time of year to spot one is during the fall as they prepare for their long journey. 

In terms of habitat, the  Yellow Warbler is happiest living near a source of water and can often be spotted in wetlands or forest edges with a stream or river nearby.

They are almost exclusively insectivorous, feeding on beetles, wasps, caterpillars, and midges.

This insectivorous diet does make it quite hard to attract the Yellow Warbler to your garden. However, by planting native insect-attracting plants you can increase your chances.

They may also visit during migration to feed on suet and peanut butter as these help boost their energy levels. 

American Robin

Not to be confused with the Christmas card famous European Robin, the American Robin can be identified by its rust-orange breast, black upperparts, black wings, and black head.

It also has a bright yellow beak that contrasts beautifully against its black plumage. 

The American Robin has an extremely varied habitat and can be found living in forests, mixed woodlands, mountainous areas, weedy fields, parks, and backyards.

Their diet is almost as varied as their habitat, and they’ll happily feed on insects, fruits, and seeds.

All of this means that attracting the American Robin to your backyard is actually quite easy. They do have difficulty feeding from hanging feeders though, so a platform feeder would be best.

Lay out an offering of peanuts, sunflower seeds, and mealworms and it won’t be long until this beautiful bird visits your garden.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

A little larger than its golden-crowned cousin, the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet can be identified by its bright red crown and olive-green plumage.

This crown is only present in males, however, and even then it can be difficult to spot so you’ll need to have a keen eye to identify this small songbird!

The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet spends the breeding season in Canada before heading further South to Mexico and California for the winter.

Its conifer forest habitat can make it difficult to find, but you’re most likely to spot one during their fall migration as they’ll roost in parks and gardens. 

You can also attract the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet to your backyard during their migration period by offering peanuts, mealworms, sunflower seeds, and suets.

They are happy feeding from both platforms and hanging feeders too, although they won’t hang around for long once they’ve snatched up a tasty snack!

Chipping Sparrow

The Chipping Sparrow is one of the most common birds across the Pacific Northwest and certainly one that you’re likely to spot in your backyard.

It can be identified by its black-streaked, dark brown upperparts, pale gray underside, and rust-red crown. It also has a thick black eye stripe on either side of the head. 

Like most members of the Sparrow family, the Chipping Sparrow has a varied habitat and can be found in woodlands, forests, parks, and backyards.

In each of these habitats, it lives in small family groups and these groups are well known for their boisterous behavior and noisy activity!

The Chipping Sparrow also has a varied diet and will happily visit bird feeders stoked with a variety of seeds, nuts, and suets. They’re often among the first birds to arrive at newly-installed feeders, too. 

American Goldfinch

The unmistakable markings of the American Goldfinch make them a real joy to see hopping around your backyard.

Males can be identified by their bright yellow feathers that cover the majority of their body along with their black and white striped wings. Females have the same markings but are a duller olive-green color. 

The American Goldfinch remains present in the United States all year round, but those that breed further North may head South to warmer climates for the winter.

They have a pretty varied habitat too, and can be found in parks and gardens all over the Pacific Northwest. 

It’s quite easy to attract the American Goldfinch to your garden and, like all members of the Finch family, they’ll flock to any feeder stocked with Nyjer seeds.

You can also increase your chances of attracting this colorful bird by planting milkweed and thistles as they’ll feed on their seeds during the fall. 

House Sparrow

Another incredibly common bird across the Pacific Northwest, the House Sparrow is a species that was introduced to the continent and has done very well ever since.

Part of its success is due to its hardiness and the fact that it is happy to roost anywhere including buildings and houses!

You can identify the House Sparrow by its light gray underparts, brown and black streaked upperparts and wings, and its dark brown cap. It also has a black face mask and a pale gray ring around its neck. 

You will have absolutely no issues attracting a House Sparrow to your backyard. Famed for their huge appetite, they’ll feed on anything you leave out including mixed seed, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet.

They can be quite boisterous and bully other species away from feeders, however, so you may find that you have to set up more than one feeding station to keep all of your feathered friends happy!

Cedar Waxwing

The Cedar Waxwing is one of the more exotic-looking backyard birds on our list.

They are resident all year round in Northern States, although if temperatures start to drop a little too low for comfort they’ll head further South. 

This distinctive looking bird can be identified by its pale yellow underside, pale brown upperparts, head, and large crest.

It also sports a thick, black eye stripe that runs from the beak all the way to the back of its head. 

Cedar Waxwings feed almost exclusively on fruit, and they will visit platform feeders that have a scattering of berries offered on them.

The best way to attract the Cedar Waxwing to your garde, however, is to plant native fruiting shrubs such as dogwood, hawthorn, and juniper. 

Western Tanager

Another exotic-looking bird, the Western Tanager can be identified by its bright yellow underparts, red-orange ombre face, and black wings.

They are resident across the Pacific Northwest, particularly in Western States, but those that breed in the North will migrate further South for the winter. 

Despite their super-colorful markings, it can be difficult to spot a Western Tanager. This is mostly because they choose to live high up in the canopy of coniferous forests.

They will, however, venture out of their preferred habitat when food supplies are scarce.

The best way to attract a Western Tanager to your backyard during these periods of food scarcity is to offer cut or dried fruits. You can place these on platform feeders or hanging feeders, as they have no issue feeding from either. 

Pine Siskin

A small member of the Finch family, the Pine Siskin can be identified by its brown and yellow streaked feathers that cover the entire of their body. They also have pointed wings, a short, pointed bill, and a tail that ends in a fork shape. 

Found all over the Pacific Northwest, the Pine Siskins chooses Canada for its breeding grounds before migrating a little further South for the winter.

Their final destination during migration heavily depends on current pine cone crops, however, and in a particularly abundant fall they may not leave Canada at all.

As you may have guessed from their name, the Pine Siskin feeds almost exclusively on pine cone seeds.

They won’t turn down an offering of other types of seeds though, and can be attracted to backyard bird feeders with Nyjer seed, black sunflower seeds, and suet. 

Song Sparrow

The Song Sparrow is another common backyard bird that can be found all over the Pacific Northwest.

It can be identified by the dark brown and white markings that cover the entire of its body, and you’re most likely to see a group of Song Sparrows rather than a solitary bird as they do everything in a small flock.

This boisterous, noisy little bird isn’t shy when it comes to visiting a bird feeder. It also has a very varied diet and eats insects as well as a variety of seeds, berries, and suets.

Adding any of these to your bird feeders is a sure-fire way to bring them into your garden, and they’re also happy feeding from hanging feeders and platform feeders alike. 

Golden-Crowned Sparrow

While most members of the Sparrow family are quite common, the Golden-Crowned Sparrow is a rarer sight.

It can be identified by its gray underparts and brown-blacked, streaked upperparts associated with most Sparrows.

The difference in identification features comes with its namesake golden crown which runs vertically across the head, flanked by two black stripes. 

The Golden-Crowned Sparrow spends the breeding season in Canada and Alaska but, as soon as fall comes around, it heads towards the West Coast.

In each of these locations, their preferred habitat is weedy fields where there is an abundance of seeds, fruits, and insects for them to feed on.

Native planting is the best way to encourage the Golden-Crowned Sparrow into your backyard.

You can also place seeds on ground feeders, but native planting doesn’t only offer them fresh fruits and insects to feed on – it offers them a place to roost during the winter. 

Red-Winged Blackbird

The Red-Winged Blackbird is one of the most common birds found throughout the Pacific Northwest. It’s also extremely easy to identify thanks to its distinctive namesake red patch on the wing, along with a yellow shoulder patch.

The rest of its body is covered with jet black feathers. These markings are only found on the male, while the female is covered with dark brown feathers and features no red patches. 

Although resident in North America all year round, you’re most likely to spot a Red-Winged Blackbird in the winter.

This is because they gather together in huge flocks, sometimes up to one million birds strong, before dispersing again the following spring.

As they are so common, attracting the Red-Winged Blackbird into your garden is quite easy.

An offering of mixed seeds scattered around the ground or placed on a platform feeder should be enough to draw them in.

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

The Red-Breasted Nuthatch is a small bird that can be identified by its blue-gray upperparts, white face that is streaked with black stripes, and its namesake rust-red breast.

It is resident in the Pacific Northwest all year round, although if pine cone crops are particularly poor in certain areas it will journey further South for the winter in search of food. 

The Red-Breasted Nuthatch’s preferred habitat is coniferous forests, which can make it quite hard to spot.

Likewise, it may not regularly visit your garden without good cause.

This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to draw the Red-Breasted Nuthatch into your backyard – food is as good a cause as any!

Fill your feeders with black sunflower seeds, peanuts, and mealworms and there’s a chance that you might spot this little bird stopping by for an energy-rich snack. 

Black-Capped Chickadee

An absolutely tiny bird, the Black-Capped Chickadee can be identified by its namesake black cap, white cheeks, and dark gray wings.

It also has pale underparts and, size wise, is around the same size as a Golden-Crowned Kinglet.

The best place to spot a Black-Capped Chickadee is in mixed woodlands and forests, although they have also been spotted flitting around parks and gardens.

They have quite a varied diet, happily feeding on insects throughout the summer months and turning their attention to seeds, nuts, and suet during the winter.

To attract the Black-Capped Chickadee into your backyard, fill your bird feeders with a good mix of seeds, suet, and peanuts.

They are also particularly fond of peanut butter as it is so rich in fats it helps them survive the cold, winter months.

Dark-Eyed Junco

It may surprise you to learn that the Dark-Eyed Junco is actually a member of the Sparrow family, despite not looking anything like most of its family members.

Instead of the distinctive brown-black streaking synonymous with Sparrows, it sports slate-gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, and has a light pink beak.

They’re also a little more elusive than most members of the Sparrow family, choosing to live in the safety of mixed woodlands. Here, they forage on the ground for insects, seeds, buts, and berries to feed on.

If food supplies start to become scarce, the Dark-Eyed Junco will move outside of its preferred habitat and visit bird feeders stocked with sunflower seeds, millet, and peanuts.

As ground feeders, they won’t feed from hanging bird feeders though, so make sure you place your feed on a platform feeder if you’d like to encourage the Dark-Eyed Junco into your garden.

White-Crowned Sparrow

A more familiar-looking member of the Sparrow family, the White-Crowned Sparrow can be identified by the brown and white streaked markings that cover the upper part of its body.

It also has a gray face with black strips which frame its namesake white crown.

The White-Crowned Sparrow spends the breeding season in Arctic Canada and Alaska, before migrating South to the lower 48 States for the winter.

Its preferred habitat in each of these locations is forest edges and weedy fields where there are plenty of insects, seeds, weeds, and berries to feed on.

Like most members of the Sparrow family, the White-Crowned Sparrow doesn’t take a lot of encouragement to visit a backyard bird feeder.

An offering of mixed seeds will be enough to draw them in, but they’ll also happily feed on suet and nuts too. 

Spotted Towhee

The final bird on our list takes us into the Sparrow family again. That’s right, believe it or not, the Spotted Towhee is related to the Sparrow!

It’s much larger, however, and has black and white streaked wings, black upperparts, and a black head and throat.

It also has a white stripe running vertically down its underside which is flanked by rust-red patches. 

Unsurprisingly for members of the Sparrow family, the Spotted Towhee will happily visit backyard bird feeders that are stocked with a variety of food.

Sunflower seeds, millet, and cracked corn are among their favorites, but their insatiable appetites mean that they’ll eat almost anything you offer.

Final Thoughts

There you have it – 34 backyard birds that you can spot across the Pacific Northwest. Most of the birds on this list are quite common and, even better, quite easy to attract to your backyard.

So, what are you waiting for? Fill your bird feeders with a variety of treats, sit back, and watch your feathered friends flock in!