Rebecca L. Jordi, County Extension Director
rljordi@ufl.edu
http://nassau.ifas.ufl.edu
904 491-7340 or 904 879-1019
Wildlife Refuge – Birds
This table provides you with specific management techniques to attract the birds you
desire to your backyard. Only 63 of the most common species found in Florida yards
have been included. Creating high quality habitat for these species will inevitably attract many more.
Florida birds fall into four groups: year-round residents, summer breeders, winter visitors and seasonal
migrants. This table lists the geographical the northeast part of Florida, the time of year likely to encounter the
bird (year-round - R, summer breeder - SB, winter resident - WR, migrant - M).
We have described the birds' desired natural foods and nesting sites so you can be sure your backyard habitat is
complete. You will also be able to note whether birds you especially want to attract are likely to use a feeder or
a nest box. Finally, special management and landscape considerations are listed for each species.
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak
Buntings
Cardinal - R
Blue Grosbeak - SB
Indigo & Painting Bunting - SB
Purple Martin
Purple Martin - R
Mostly seeds of wild, cultivated Vast quantities of insects.
Preferred
Natural Food grasses, some insects. Cardinals
eat more than 100 kinds of fruits.
Preferred
Nesting Site
Thickets, vines, dense stands of
young saplings, other brushy
plants
Will They Use
Yes
Feeders?
Ruby-throated
Hummingbird
Ruby-throated
Hummingbird - SB
Flower nectar, tiny insects &
spiders.
Natural cavities, holes &
crevices in sides of bluffs or
cliffs.
Limb of low tree, often
overhanging water.
No
Yes
Nest Boxes?
No
Yes
No
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
Cardinals prefer mixed gardens
with hedges & lawns backed by
a variety of trees; have a strong
preference for sunflowers
seeds. Buntings & grosbeaks like
brushy pastures & woodland
edges; like an exposed perch to
sing on; feed on ground; feed on
Prefer open meadows &
lawns near water. Have learned
to nest in gourds & special
apartment houses placed in
suitable habitat. Don't use
pesticides nearby!
Garden with variety of
plantings is ideal, including
herbaceous flowering
borders, running water, &
special sugar water
feeders. Strongly attracted
to red tubular flowers like
native firebush.
white proso millet at
feeders. Buntings are shy &
require heavy cover near feeders.
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Blue Jay
Eastern Bluebird - R
Blue Jay - R
Carolina Wren - R
House Wren - WR
Acorns, other nuts & berries,
insects, small reptiles and
mammals.
Mostly insects
Primarily insects, some fruits &
Preferred
Natural Food berries.
Preferred
Nesting Site
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Natural cavities in trees, old
woodpecker holes in trees &
fence posts.
Will They Use
Rarely
Feeders?
Variety of trees 10 - 30' off the Cavities or crotches of trees
ground.
of shrubs.
Yes
Yes
Nest Boxes?
Yes
No
Yes
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
Prefer orchards, old fields with
scattered trees, open, second
growth woodlands. Birds are
strongly territorial, so place next
boxes 100 yards apart (detailed
plans available). Commonly use
birdbaths.
Prefer yards with large
numbers of trees, especially
oaks, beeches & pines. Water
is a major attractant. Peanuts
are especially attractive at
feeders.
Like wooded gardens with
dense shrub undergrowth.
Will nest in almost any
cavity around homes; try
hanging a gourd under house
eaves. Loves peanut
butter/suet cakes.
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Mockingbird
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Mockingbird - R
Catbird - WR
Brown Thrasher - R
Insects, grubs, fruits & seeds
Preferred
Natural Food
Preferred
Nesting Site
Dense, thorny shrubs or vines
conceal basket-like nests.
Brambles ideal.
Will They Use
Yes
Feeders?
Nest Boxes?
No
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Screech Owl
Barred Owl
American Kestrel
Carolina Chickadee - R
Tufted Titmouse - R
Screech Owl - R
Barred Owl - R
American Kestrel - R
Insects & many plant foods
Mice & insects.
Natural cavities & abandoned
woodpecker holes.
Cavities.
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Edge situations provided by
gardens excellent for
mockingbirds; native berries are
important food source. Catbirds
like access to water. Thrashers
forage on the ground where leaf
litter is plentiful.
Woodpeckers
Yards with mature deciduous Like gardens with many old
& evergreen trees supported by trees close to open,
dense shrub & small tree
unmowed areas for hunting.
understory are best. Chickadees Prefer cavities in hardwoods
prefer to dig own cavities in
& old woodpecker holes in
partly rotted trunks or stumps, pines. Readily use
especially pine & birch.
appropriate nest boxes. Will
Hanging suet feeders &
use water if provided.
sunflower seeds are especially
attractive.
Robin
Wood Thrush
Rufous-sided Towhee
Woodpeckers (Red- headed,
Robin - WR
Red-bellied, Downy, Flicker,
Wood Thrush - SB
Pileated) - R
Rufous-sided Towhee - R
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - WR
Orioles
Summer Tanager
Orchard Oriole - SB
Northern Oriole - WR
Summer Tanager - SB
Major consumers of forest pest Forage on ground for insects; Insects, fleshy fruits,
Preferred
also eat fleshy fruits & berries. especially berries.
Natural Food insects, grubs & eggs, ants,
beetles; also berries, nuts, seeds.
Preferred
Nesting Site
Cavities in dead or dying trees.
Will They Use
Yes
Feeders?
Towhee - on or close to ground Oriole - shade, street trees,
under dense shrub cover. Wood preferable near water.
Thrush - shrub or small tree 6 - Tanager - deciduous trees,
12' high.
often oaks.
Robin & thrush - rarely.
Towhee - yes
Yes
Nest Boxes?
Yes (except pileated)
No
No
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
Pileated & red-bellied prefer old
growth forests with mixed
hardwoods. Downy & flicker
common in gardens with mix
of deciduous & coniferous trees
& shrubs, some open ground.
Optimum garden for red-headed
has lawns & shrub beds, a few
large pines, oaks & dead snags
nearby. Maintain snags in yard
for all woodpeckers. Leave
stumps & fallen logs as foraging
habitat. Will eat suet; red-headed
likes bread on platform feeders.
Wooded gardens with densely
planted understory. Robins like
lawns with scattered trees,
berry bushes in winter.
Towhees fond of brush piles,
prefer to forage under feeders
on ground, close to cover.
Shaded, ground-level birdbaths
or pools with close cover of
shrubs excellent.
Prefer high feeding stations
with fruit; northern orioles
enjoy suet. Attracted to
gardens with mixed fruit
trees, especially orchard
trees, dogwood, mulberry,
tupelos, wild cherry &
blackberry. Orioles attracted
to fruit at feeders, especially
oranges
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Cedar Waxwings
Nuthatches
Cedar Waxwings - WR
White-breasted
-R
Brown-headed
-R
Doves
White-crowned Pigeon
Nuthatch Morning and Ground
Dove - R
Nuthatch
Abundant fleshy fruits on shrubs Insects, seeds & nuts.
Preferred
Natural Food & trees; buds & flowers of
hardwood trees.
Preferred
Nesting Site
Not in Florida
Will They Use
Rarely
Feeders?
Insects, seeds, nuts & fruits.
All except pigeon are
ground feeders.
Cavities in dead trees or old
woodpecker holes.
Pigeon - often nest in
mangroves, usually on
offshore islands.
Dove- varies, from ground
to shrubs, vines
Yes
Yes
Nest Boxes?
No
Yes
No
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
Manage your property to include
many fruiting natives; roving
flocks of waxwings will devour
dogwood, holly & red cedar
berries in late winter.
Don't cut snags! Many
hardwoods & pines are
preferred cavity trees. Suet &
sunflower seeds are feeder
favorites
Need dense cover of shrubs
near open fields or lawns
with scattered trees. Provide
water on the ground - birds
like to bathe daily.
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Northern Bobwhite
Finches
Pine Siskin
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Northern Bobwhite - R
Seeds, acorns, some fruit; some
Preferred
Natural Food insects and spiders.
Preferred
Nesting Site
Ground nest in brushy open
grasslands & open pine woods.
Will They Use
Yes
Feeders?
Goldfinch - WR
Purple Finch - WR
Pine Siskin - WR
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - SB
Buds, soft fruits, seeds, insects Caterpillars, grasshoppers,
in summer.
other insects.
Not in Florida
8-12' high in shrubs or on
horizontal tree branch.
Yes
No
No
No
Nest Boxes?
No
Special
Management
and
Comes readily to seed on ground. Sweetgum & sycamore fruits Best natural controller of
Requires heavy brush for
are prized winter foods; water tent caterpillars. Generally
daytime cover. A brush pile is is one of the best attractants.
prefer trees with dense
Landscape
Preferences
ideal.
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - WR
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - R
Most prefer high feeders;
goldfinches will feed on the
ground. All love sunflower
seeds & niger (thistle) seeds.
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern and Gray Kingbird
canopies, such as oaks.
Red-winged Blackbird
Grackles
Eastern Phoebe - WR
Red-winged Blackbird - R
Great Crested
Flycatcher Common and Boat-tailed
- SB
Grackle - R
Eastern and Gray
Kingbird
- SB
Tiny insects gleaned from foliage Mostly catch insects, bees, etc. Mostly seeds & grains, some
Preferred
midair; also eat grasshoppers insects.
Natural Food high in trees. Kinglets also eat
wax myrtle berries.
ants & some fruits.
Preferred
Nesting Site
Gnatcatchers nest on horizontal
limbs 25' or higher; use many
kinds of trees.
Will They Use
Yes
Feeders?
Often near water; kingbird
8-12' high in shrubs or on
likes medium shrubs or trees. horizontal tree branch.
Great crested - natural cavities.
Phoebe - bridges, rafters &
eves.
No
Yes
Nest Boxes?
No
Yes, except kingbird
No
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
Prefer mature, diverse garden
with good mix of evergreen &
deciduous trees. Occasionally
visit small hanging suet feeders.
Like deciduous & mixed
woods, edge situations.
Attracted by gardens with
streams, pools with small
waterfalls, other sources of
running water. Favor many
wild fruits
Best natural controller of
tent caterpillars. Generally
prefer trees with dense
canopies, such as oaks.
Warblers
Vireos
Sparrows
BIRDS
(Common
Name)
Warblers:
Orange-crowned & Yellowrumped - WR
Parula, Pine & Yellowthroat - R
Insects, some seeds
Preferred
Natural Food
Preferred
Nesting Site
Vireos:
Red-eyed - SB
White-eyed - R
Yellow-throated - SB
Blacked-whiskered - M
Sparrows:
Chipping Sparrow - WR
Song, White-throated &
other migrant sparrow - M
Insects and spiders, some
fleshy berries prior to
migration.
Feed on ground, mostly
weed & grass seeds, some
insects.
Large trees, except yellowthroat, All suspend hanging nest in
shrubs near water. Parula uses
trees from 3'-4' off ground
Spanish moss to construct nest. (white-eyed) to tree tops
(yellow-throated).
Will They Use
Suet feeders only
Feeders?
Chipping-near ground in
dense thickets, but rare
breeder only in N. Florida
No
Yes
No
No
Nest Boxes?
No
Special
Management
and
Landscape
Preferences
Many resident & migrant warbler Same as warblers. Blackspecies will be attracted to a
whiskered vireos favor
diverse, richly-planted garden
mangroves.
with many canopy layers,
including mature trees. Oaks
provide good source of
caterpillars. A water source will
bring in seldom seen species.
Yellow-rumped, pine & orangecrowned commonly seen a suet
feeder.
Adapted from publication by the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission Titled “Refuge for Wildlife - Birds”
Require mixed garden
vegetation with close shrub
cover. Will visit ground
feeders regularly. Liberally
use water if provided