How to use this chart
Oklahoma includes eastern woodlands, central prairies and drier western plains, so the birds in your yard depend partly on where you live. The chart below lists common yard visitors with the marks that help most. Start with the size and color, then check the notes. Season and region are rough guides, not guarantees.
Quick-reference chart
| Bird | Key field marks | Typical season | Where you may see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Cardinal | Red male with crest and black face; tan female with red tinge | Year-round | Feeders, shrubs |
| Northern Mockingbird | Gray with white wing patches, long tail | Year-round | Open lawns, fences |
| Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Pale gray body, very long forked tail, salmon-pink sides | Spring to fall | Wires, fence posts, open land |
| Eastern Bluebird | Blue back, orange chest, white belly | Year-round in much of the state | Open areas, nest boxes |
| Blue Jay | Blue, white and black with a crest | Year-round | Trees, feeders |
| Carolina Chickadee | Black cap and bib, white cheeks | Year-round in the east and central areas | Feeders |
| Tufted Titmouse | Gray, crest, black forehead | Year-round in the east and central areas | Feeders |
| Mourning Dove | Soft tan-gray, pointed tail | Year-round | Ground under feeders |
| House Finch | Red head and chest on male, streaky brown female | Year-round | Feeders |
| American Goldfinch | Yellow and black male in summer; duller in winter | Mostly winter at feeders; also present in other seasons | Thistle and sunflower feeders |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Gray with white belly | Winter | Ground under feeders |
| Harris’s Sparrow | Black face and bib, pink bill | Winter | Brushy areas and feeders |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Barred back, red cap | Year-round in the east and central areas | Suet, trees |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Tiny, green, red throat on male | Spring to early fall | Nectar feeders, flowers |
What does the state bird look like?
Oklahoma’s state bird is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. It is a slim, pale gray bird with a whitish chest, salmon-pink on the sides and under the wings, and a remarkably long, forked tail that opens and closes like scissors. It often perches on wires and fence posts in open country and darts out to catch insects. Young birds have shorter tails.
What birds are mistaken for bluebirds?
An Eastern Bluebird has a blue back, an orange-brown chest and a white belly. Birds often mistaken for it include:
- Indigo Bunting: Blue male with no orange.
- Blue Grosbeak: Blue with brown wing bars and a heavy bill.
- Blue Jay: Larger, crested and white below.
- Western Bluebird or Mountain Bluebird may be seen in the western part of the state, especially in winter, depending on the year. Mountain Bluebirds are sky-blue without the orange chest.
Seasonal changes
Summer brings hummingbirds, buntings, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and other migrants. In winter, juncos, sparrows and goldfinches become more common at feeders. If a bird does not match the chart, consider whether it is a seasonal visitor.
Identifying what you cannot match
Write down size, color pattern, bill shape, behavior and location, or take a photo. Apps such as Merlin Bird ID can suggest likely species. Compare any suggestion with a range map before settling on a name.
Related guides
Birds in eastern Oklahoma overlap with those in the neighboring state, so our Arkansas birds identification guide may help with seasonal birds. For the western edge of the state, see our guide to identifying the birds of New Mexico.