Our Favorite Southern Songbirds

Turdus migratorius

These familiar, red-breasted birds are harbingers of spring across the Southern states and throughout the U.S.

Toxostoma rufum

Found in many Southern states year-round—including Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida—this big, reddish-brown bird is the state bird of Georgia.

Thryothorus ludovicianus

These birds, which are commonly found throughout the South in all seasons, emit a distinctive, musical song.

Haemorhous mexicanus

Finches have bright, cheerful chirps and can be found across the U.S, as far north as Maine and throughout the Southern states.

Passer domesticus

This bird, which is found throughout the U.S. year-round, is one of the most common songbirds in the world and lives in both cities and rural areas.

Geothlypis formosa

This bright yellow bird is commonly found throughout the South—including in, yes, Kentucky—during its breeding season.

Cardinalis cardinalis

You can’t miss these bright red birds, which have red beaks and pointed red combs atop their heads. They’re commonly found throughout the Southeastern and Eastern U.S., and they sing a whistling song. Learn more about the Northern cardinal.

Mimus polyglottos

Found throughout the Southern reaches of the United States, these birds have repetitive songs and are also able to imitate the sounds they hear. They have the capability of making hundreds of distinctive noises.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Commonly found from the East Coast to the West Coast, these blackbirds have red and yellow patches on their wings.

Sturnus vulgaris

Common in the U.S., starlings that live in the South usually do so year-round, while those that live farther north often migrate in autumn.