Wasatch backyard birds.
These are the species we expect to detect in our Salt Lake City backyard, based on eBird data for the Wasatch Front region. The AI model (BirdNET, from Cornell Lab) can identify over 6,000 species worldwide — but these are the locals.
American Robin
The classic backyard bird. One of the first to sing at dawn and last to stop at dusk. Look for them pulling worms from the lawn.
Black-capped Chickadee
Tiny, fearless, and loud. Their "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" call is one of the most recognizable sounds in a Utah backyard.
House Finch
Males have a bright red head and chest. They love sunflower seeds and will dominate any feeder they find.
Dark-eyed Junco
"Snowbirds" — they show up when it gets cold and forage on the ground under feeders. Slate-gray with a white belly flash.
Western Scrub-Jay
Bold, blue, and smart. They cache food for later and can remember thousands of hiding spots. Corvids are incredible.
Cooper's Hawk
The bird that hunts other birds. If your feeder goes quiet suddenly, there's probably a Cooper's Hawk nearby.
Pine Siskin
Streaky brown finches that invade in unpredictable waves. Some winters we get hundreds, some winters none.
Yellow Warbler
Bright yellow and constantly moving through the branches. One of the first migratory warblers to arrive in spring along the Wasatch.
Downy Woodpecker
The smallest woodpecker in North America. Listen for their rapid drumming on dead branches — that's how they find insects.
Northern Flicker
A ground-feeding woodpecker — unusual for the family. Salmon-red underwings flash when they fly. Common along the Wasatch.
Black-billed Magpie
Unmistakable black and white with an iridescent blue-green tail. Loud, social, and everywhere in the Salt Lake Valley.
Lesser Goldfinch
Tiny, bright yellow finches that love thistle feeders. Males have a glossy black cap. Listen for their buzzy, warbling song.