Most commonly seen birds in North Carolina

This story was originally published by Stacker

Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen near feeders in North Carolina using data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch. Birds are ranked by the percent of sites visited from Nov. 26 to Dec. 9. Ties are broken by the average group size when seen, any further ties were not broken. Data was collected at 210 count sites in North Carolina. States with less than 10 count sites were not included in rankings for each bird.

Project FeederWatch, a citizen science project where participants collect data on birds at their feeders, was founded in Ontario by Erica Dunn and the Long Point Bird Observatory in 1976. The project partnered with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology after 10 years to scale the project across the U.S. and Canada and now has over 20,000 participants.

The data Project FeederWatch collects is used by scientists to understand trends in bird populations. If you would like to participate as a FeederWatcher you can learn more about the project here.

Read on to see which birds are most commonly seen in your state.

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#50. Red-breasted Nuthatch

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 2%
– Average group size: 1.13
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Dakota: 73%
— #2. Maine: 67%
— #3. Michigan: 57%
— #4. Alaska: 56%
— #5. Nebraska: 52%

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#49. Field Sparrow

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 2%
– Average group size: 1.4
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Tennessee: 10%
— #2. West Virginia: 5%
— #3. Texas: 3%
— #3. Missouri: 3%
— #3. Alabama: 3%

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#48. Black-capped Chickadee

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 2%
– Average group size: 1.89
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Vermont: 99%
— #2. Minnesota: 95%
— #2. Connecticut: 95%
— #2. Massachusetts: 95%
— #5. New Hampshire: 94%

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#47. Black Vulture

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 2%
– Average group size: 2.13
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Alabama: 3%
— #2. New Jersey: 2%
— #2. Texas: 2%
— #2. North Carolina: 2%
— #5. Florida: 1%

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#46. Wild Turkey

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 2%
– Average group size: 7.87
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. New Hampshire: 21%
— #2. Maine: 19%
— #3. Montana: 14%
— #4. Wyoming: 13%
— #5. Massachusetts: 12%

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#45. Pine Siskin

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 3%
– Average group size: 1.93
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. New Mexico: 36%
— #2. Wyoming: 13%
— #3. Idaho: 12%
— #4. Utah: 10%
— #5. Washington: 9%

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#44. Pileated Woodpecker

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 5%
– Average group size: 1.05
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Minnesota: 28%
— #2. Wisconsin: 17%
— #3. Michigan: 16%
— #4. Indiana: 15%
— #5. West Virginia: 14%

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#43. Baltimore Oriole

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 5%
– Average group size: 1.9
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Carolina: 10%
— #2. Florida: 9%
— #3. North Carolina: 5%
— #4. Georgia: 2%
— #5. Virginia: 1%

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#42. Common Grackle

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 5%
– Average group size: 3.27
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. New Jersey: 27%
— #2. Florida: 24%
— #3. Delaware: 17%
— #4. Connecticut: 14%
— #5. South Dakota: 13%

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#41. Cooper’s Hawk

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 6%
– Average group size: 1.0
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Arizona: 26%
— #2. Kentucky: 21%
— #2. Nevada: 21%
— #4. South Dakota: 20%
— #4. Utah: 20%

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#40. Brown Creeper

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 6%
– Average group size: 1.02
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Dakota: 13%
— #2. Arkansas: 11%
— #3. Maine: 10%
— #3. New Hampshire: 10%
— #5. Missouri: 9%

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#39. Golden-crowned Kinglet

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 6%
– Average group size: 1.27
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Alabama: 9%
— #2. Georgia: 8%
— #3. Arkansas: 7%
— #4. North Carolina: 6%
— #5. Texas: 3%

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#38. Red-winged Blackbird

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 6%
– Average group size: 3.54
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Colorado: 23%
— #2. Nevada: 21%
— #3. Maryland: 16%
— #4. Louisiana: 15%
— #4. New Jersey: 15%

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#37. Cedar Waxwing

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 6%
– Average group size: 5.55
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Wyoming: 13%
— #2. Missouri: 10%
— #2. Utah: 10%
— #4. Idaho: 8%
— #5. Arkansas: 7%

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#36. Red-shouldered Hawk

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 8%
– Average group size: 1.08
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Carolina: 9%
— #2. North Carolina: 8%
— #3. Missouri: 6%
— #4. Texas: 5%
— #4. Florida: 5%

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#35. Brown-headed Cowbird

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 8%
– Average group size: 2.4
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Louisiana: 15%
— #2. West Virginia: 14%
— #2. Delaware: 14%
— #4. New Jersey: 13%
— #5. South Carolina: 10%

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#34. European Starling

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 9%
– Average group size: 3.25
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Delaware: 63%
— #2. Kentucky: 48%
— #3. Nebraska: 42%
— #3. New Jersey: 42%
— #5. Maryland: 39%

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#33. Eastern Phoebe

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 10%
– Average group size: 1.08
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Georgia: 37%
— #2. Louisiana: 25%
— #3. South Carolina: 24%
— #4. Florida: 18%
— #5. Alabama: 16%

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#32. Hairy Woodpecker

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 11%
– Average group size: 1.11
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Maine: 66%
— #2. New Hampshire: 62%
— #3. Vermont: 61%
— #4. South Dakota: 60%
— #5. Minnesota: 59%

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#31. House Sparrow

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 11%
– Average group size: 3.36
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Dakota: 93%
— #2. Iowa: 92%
— #3. Illinois: 86%
— #4. Nebraska: 82%
— #5. Indiana: 79%

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#30. Hermit Thrush

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 13%
– Average group size: 1.02
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. California: 23%
— #2. North Carolina: 13%
— #3. Oregon: 9%
— #3. Virginia: 9%
— #3. Georgia: 9%

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#29. Northern Flicker

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 13%
– Average group size: 1.27
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Nevada: 79%
— #2. Montana: 76%
— #3. Washington: 67%
— #4. Colorado: 62%
— #4. Oregon: 62%

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#28. Carolina/Black-capped Chickadee

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 13%
– Average group size: 2.26
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. West Virginia: 46%
— #2. Missouri: 37%
— #3. Pennsylvania: 29%
— #4. Ohio: 25%
— #5. Virginia: 24%

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#27. Purple Finch

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 16%
– Average group size: 1.84
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. West Virginia: 24%
— #2. Georgia: 22%
— #3. Missouri: 21%
— #4. Alabama: 19%
— #5. South Carolina: 18%

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#26. Brown Thrasher

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 18%
– Average group size: 1.03
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Carolina: 28%
— #2. Georgia: 27%
— #3. North Carolina: 18%
— #4. Florida: 10%
— #5. Alabama: 9%

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#25. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 19%
– Average group size: 1.13
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. North Carolina: 19%
— #2. Tennessee: 15%
— #2. Georgia: 15%
— #4. Alabama: 13%
— #5. Arkansas: 11%

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#24. Yellow-rumped Warbler

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 19%
– Average group size: 1.55
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Nevada: 57%
— #2. Louisiana: 45%
— #3. California: 38%
— #4. Florida: 34%
— #5. South Carolina: 30%

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#23. Pine Warbler

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 23%
– Average group size: 1.24
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Georgia: 40%
— #2. South Carolina: 34%
— #3. Florida: 29%
— #4. North Carolina: 23%
— #5. Alabama: 22%

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#22. Song Sparrow

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 24%
– Average group size: 1.42
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Washington: 60%
— #2. Oregon: 53%
— #3. West Virginia: 38%
— #4. Kentucky: 35%
— #5. Delaware: 34%

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#21. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 25%
– Average group size: 1.06
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Carolina: 35%
— #2. Alabama: 34%
— #3. Georgia: 32%
— #4. North Carolina: 25%
— #5. Texas: 23%

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#20. Eastern Towhee

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 29%
– Average group size: 1.34
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. North Carolina: 29%
— #2. Tennessee: 21%
— #3. Georgia: 19%
— #4. South Carolina: 18%
— #5. Alabama: 13%

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#19. Chipping Sparrow

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 29%
– Average group size: 2.25
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Georgia: 47%
— #2. South Carolina: 43%
— #3. Louisiana: 40%
— #4. Alabama: 38%
— #5. North Carolina: 29%

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#18. American Robin

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 30%
– Average group size: 2.67
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. New Mexico: 47%
— #2. Nevada: 43%
— #3. Oregon: 39%
— #4. Tennessee: 38%
— #5. Kansas: 35%

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#17. American Crow

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 31%
– Average group size: 2.72
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Oklahoma: 50%
— #2. Maine: 39%
— #3. North Carolina: 31%
— #4. Virginia: 30%
— #4. Minnesota: 30%

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#16. Brown-headed Nuthatch

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 33%
– Average group size: 1.37
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Georgia: 40%
— #2. North Carolina: 33%
— #3. South Carolina: 23%
— #4. Alabama: 6%
— #5. Tennessee: 4%

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#15. Northern Mockingbird

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 37%
– Average group size: 1.14
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Alabama: 50%
— #2. Louisiana: 45%
— #2. Tennessee: 45%
— #2. South Carolina: 45%
— #5. Florida: 38%

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#14. American Goldfinch

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 42%
– Average group size: 1.78
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. West Virginia: 81%
— #2. Arkansas: 79%
— #3. Indiana: 77%
— #4. Wisconsin: 76%
— #5. Maine: 75%

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#13. Blue Jay

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 49%
– Average group size: 1.73
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Nebraska: 97%
— #2. Massachusetts: 82%
— #2. Ohio: 82%
— #4. South Dakota: 80%
— #4. Iowa: 80%

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#12. Eastern Bluebird

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 53%
– Average group size: 2.3
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Georgia: 62%
— #2. North Carolina: 53%
— #3. Virginia: 43%
— #4. South Carolina: 40%
— #5. Alabama: 34%

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#11. White-breasted Nuthatch

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 56%
– Average group size: 1.27
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Connecticut: 90%
— #1. New Hampshire: 90%
— #3. Vermont: 88%
— #4. West Virginia: 86%
— #4. New Jersey: 86%

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#10. White-throated Sparrow

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 57%
– Average group size: 2.46
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Arkansas: 86%
— #2. New Jersey: 68%
— #3. Delaware: 63%
— #3. Maryland: 63%
— #5. Virginia: 61%

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#9. Dark-eyed Junco

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 60%
– Average group size: 2.41
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Washington: 95%
— #2. Kansas: 93%
— #3. Oregon: 91%
— #3. Nebraska: 91%
— #5. New Jersey: 90%

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#8. Red-bellied Woodpecker

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 61%
– Average group size: 1.12
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. West Virginia: 84%
— #2. Connecticut: 81%
— #2. Indiana: 81%
— #4. Ohio: 79%
— #4. Maryland: 79%

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#7. Mourning Dove

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 66%
– Average group size: 2.96
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. New Jersey: 90%
— #2. Kentucky: 85%
— #3. Connecticut: 82%
— #4. Massachusetts: 81%
— #4. Alabama: 81%

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#6. Downy Woodpecker

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 78%
– Average group size: 1.32
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Connecticut: 90%
— #2. Indiana: 89%
— #2. Massachusetts: 89%
— #2. West Virginia: 89%
— #5. Missouri: 88%

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#5. House Finch

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 78%
– Average group size: 2.91
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. New Mexico: 93%
— #2. Alabama: 91%
— #3. Utah: 90%
— #3. Arizona: 90%
— #5. New Jersey: 86%

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#4. Carolina Wren

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 82%
– Average group size: 1.37
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. South Carolina: 93%
— #2. Georgia: 84%
— #3. North Carolina: 82%
— #4. Kentucky: 79%
— #5. Maryland: 76%

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#3. Carolina Chickadee

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 82%
– Average group size: 2.01
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Arkansas: 96%
— #1. South Carolina: 96%
— #3. Georgia: 89%
— #4. Alabama: 88%
— #5. Louisiana: 85%

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#2. Northern Cardinal

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 86%
– Average group size: 2.37
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. Arkansas: 100%
— #2. Kentucky: 96%
— #3. Missouri: 95%
— #4. West Virginia: 92%
— #4. Maryland: 92%

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#1. Tufted Titmouse

– Sites visited Nov. 26 to Dec. 9: 89%
– Average group size: 2.11
– States with the highest percent of sites visited
— #1. West Virginia: 100%
— #2. Connecticut: 95%
— #3. New Hampshire: 92%
— #4. Maryland: 91%
— #5. Massachusetts: 89%

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