How to Attract 27 Oklahoma Birds to Your Feeders (With Photos)

Looking for a reference guide on attracting Oklahoma birds to your feeders? Look no further!

Below I’ve listed (in alphabetical order) birds you can attract in Oklahoma, their preferred food, and the top bird feeder options. Also, I’ve provided tidbits based on my years of experience, along with some of my top food and feeder picks for birds I’ve had success with attracting.

I’m continuing to piece together guides for different states when I have the time in an effort to share my love of bird feeding. It’s such a great hobby to connect with nature while benefiting your mental health at the same time!

Disclaimer: Some links found on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I might earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Other Content: Review: A Cheap Bird Seed Cardinals Will Love

Before diving into the specific birds, here are a handful of universal things you can do to increase your chances of bringing birds to your yard before you even hang up a feeder.

  1. Provide water with a bird bath
  2. Avoid using pesticides
  3. Have trees and shrubbery nearby
  4. Plant native plants in your yard
  5. Keep your cats indoors
  6. Clean your bird feeders every few weeks to prevent disease

Bird Feeder References (links to examples on Amazon)

Large tube feeder

Small tube feeder

Hopper feeder

Platform feeder

Nectar feeder

Fruit feeder

Suet Cage Feeder (small)

Suet Log Feeder

Bird Feed References (links to examples)

Black Oil Sunflower Seed

Safflower Seed

Mealworms (dried – check out your local bird store for live mealworms!)

Millet

Peanut bits

Suet Block

Sunflower hearts (no shell or mess)

Authors note: I’m skipping birds of prey, rare and nuisance birds like Cowbirds, House Sparrows, Grackles, etc. in this article.

Sources: The Cornell Bird Lab, Audubon and my firsthand experience.

American Goldfinch

An American Goldfinch perched on a railing.
I’ve had the most success with sunflower chips in a tube feeder for Goldfinches.

What Time of Year?

Year-round in much of Oklahoma.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Goldfinches?

Sunflower chips (my top choice) and nyjer seed.

Orange – Summer Breeding Range, Purple – Year-Round Range, Blue – Winter Range

The range map for the American Goldfinch.
The range of the American Goldfinch. Image source: Wikipedia Commons

What kind of bird feeder suits them?

Just about any kind, but tube feeders are best. You can also use a sock feeder filled with nyjer seed for Goldfinches.

A tube bird feeder full of sunflower chips that has a bright yellow American Goldfinch sitting on it.
Visual proof that Goldfinches love tube bird feeders and sunflower chips!

Other tips?

If you have the means to do so, plant native thistle plants as an organic way to attract Goldfinches to your yard.

Related: 4 Tips for Attracting American Goldfinches to your Yard

American Robin

Oklahoma Birds - an American Robin perched on a tree.
The American Robin can be found throughout much of North America.

What Time of Year?

American Robins are found year-round in Oklahoma.

Green – Year-Round Range, Blue – Wintering Range, Yellow – Breeding only

The range map for the American Robin.
The range map for the American Robin. Image source: Wikipedia Commons

What’s the Best Food for Robins?

Fruits (apples, oranges, berries, raisins), mealworms

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Robins?

Food on the ground or a large platform feeder. Robins are difficult to draw to feeders. The ground is your best best! Also, Robins will enjoy using a bird bath if you have one.

Other tips?

I haven’t had luck bringing a robin directly to my feeders. However, they’re familiar visitors in the surrounding area looking for worms and berries in trees. Try putting out diced fruit like apples and you can get lucky.

Blue Jay

Oklahoma birds - Blue Jays are year-round residents throughout the state.
Blue Jays bring a lot of fun personality to bird feeders. They prefer peanuts.

What Time of Year?

Blue Jays are found year-round in Oklahoma.

Purple – Year-Round Range of Blue Jays, Blue – Non-Breeding Range

A range map for Blue Jays
The range map for Blue Jays. Source: Wikipedia

What Should You Feed Blue Jays?

Peanuts in the shell (best bet), peanut bits, suet, sunflower seeds, corn.

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Blue Jays:

Premium Peanuts In Shell – Wild Bird – Wildlife Food

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Blue Jays?

Blue Jays need a sturdy hopper or platform feeder with a lot of room to support their weight. They’re a larger feeder bird.

Other tidbits:

Attract Blue Jays with peanuts on a sturdy platform feeder, or simply serve them on the ground. Beware, as this will also certainly attract squirrels and chipmunks. Not that I would know…

Also, you need to buy peanuts specifically for wildlife, not peanuts from a grocery store. Those often have salt and oils that aren’t good for feeding the birds.

I feel Blue Jays get an unfair reputation as a bully bird at feeders. I love them! They bring a lot of boisterous energy to my feeding station.

Related Content: How to Attract Blue Jays to Your Bird Feeder

Carolina Chickadees

carolina chickadee, bird, chickadee-2501531.jpg
Chickadees are fans of sunflower seed.

What Time of Year?

Year-round through the majority of Oklahoma.

A range map for the Carolina Chickadee.
The range of the Carolina Chickadee. Image source: Wikipedia

What Kind of Food Do Carolina Chickadees Like?

Sunflower seeds and peanuts

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Carolina Chickadees?

Nearly any feeder. Chickadees aren’t picky about this!

Other tips?

Carolina Chickadees look incredibly similar to Black-Capped Chickadees. The biggest difference (which isn’t much) that I notice is that Carolina Chickadees have slightly grayer wings. Here’s a helpful side by side from the Cornell Bird Lab.

Cedar Waxwing

A picture of a Cedar Waxwing eating berries from a bush.
Shrubs and trees with berries are key for drawing in Waxwings.

What Time of Year?

In the winter throughout Oklahoma.

Yellow – Summer Only Range, Green – Year-Round, Blue – Winter Range

A map showing the range of Cedar Waxwings.
The range of Cedar Waxwings. Image source: Wikipedia

What Kind of Food do Cedar Waxwings Like?

Fruit! Your best bet is to have a native tree or shrub in your yard with small berries.

What Kind of Bird Feeder Suits Them?

Cedar Waxwings rarely visit feeders but are known to visit bird baths in flocks. You may also have luck with a bird seed mix that has dried fruit in it.

Chipping Sparrow

A Chipping Sparrow at a bird feeder in the springtime.
A Chipping Sparrow visiting my “chair” platform feeder.

What Time of Year?

Heavily varies depending on the time of year and location in Oklahoma. Here’s a map below!

Orange: Breeding, Yellow: Spring-Migration Only, Purple: Year-round, Blue: Non-breeding

A map showing the range of Chipping Sparrows in North America.
The range of Chipping Sparrows. Image credit: Cephas, Wikipedia

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Chipping Sparrows?

Millet (top choice), sunflower seeds, cracked corn

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Sparrows:

Backyard White Millet

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Chipping Sparrows?

Just about anything

Other tips?

Mix in some millet into your sunflower seeds to attract Chipping Sparrows. What I love about Chipping Sparrows is how tame they can be around people. They’re one of the few birds that will visit my feeders when I’m sitting nearby.

Related Content: The Definitive Bird Feeder Bird Power Rankings

Downy Woodpeckers

nature, bird, woodpecker-4573036.jpg
A Downy Woodpecker visits my suet feeder every day.

What Time of Year?

Year-round (everywhere in Oklahoma).

What Kind of Food do Downy Woodpeckers Like?

Suet (top choice – especially peanut flavored), will also eat sunflower seeds on occasion

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Downy Woodpeckers?

Suet feeders of all types (they aren’t picky).

My Top Amazon Bird Feeder Pick For Downy and Hair Woodpeckers:

Wildlife Sciences Suet Plug Feeder

Other tips?

Once you attract a Downy Woodpecker to your feeders, they’ll likely be back every single day. I’ve had a pair of Downy Woodpeckers visiting my feeders for about a year now. They show up like clockwork.

Eastern Bluebird

An Eastern Bluebird sitting on a piece of wood.
Eastern Bluebirds will use nest boxes and like to eat live mealworms at bird feeders.

What Time of Year?

Eastern Bluebirds are found year-round in Oklahoma, except in the westernmost regions.

Yellow – Summer Breeding Range, Green – Year-Round Range, Purple – Wintering Range
Credit: rbrausse, Wikipedia

The range map for Eastern Bluebirds.

What’s the Best Food for Bluebirds?

Live mealworms

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Bluebirds?

A platform or ground feeder. You can also buy a specialty feeder for holding live mealworms.

Other tips?

Getting live mealworms and putting them in a feeder is your best bet to draw one of these awesome birds. Eastern Bluebirds also love to live in nest boxes if you have space. You’ll probably have the best luck with that approach if you live in a more remote area.

Hairy Woodpeckers

birds, bird watching, hairy woodpecker-3863894.jpg
Look familiar? Hairy Woodpeckers are tough to tell apart from Downy Woodpeckers. Two main differences I notice: Hairy Woodpeckers are bigger and have a longer bill

What Time of Year?

Year-round throughout Oklahoma, except for the western-most regions.

What Kind of Food do Hairy Woodpeckers Like?

Suet (top choice – especially peanut flavored), will also eat sunflower seeds

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Hairy Woodpeckers ?

Suet feeders of all types. I have Hairy Woodpeckers who visit my suet log feeder.

Other tips?

If you have dead trees in your yard, consider leaving them for Hairy Woodpeckers to nest in!

House Finch

A House Finch bird sitting on a wooden bird feeder.
House finches are often the first bird to try a new feeder.

What Time of Year?

Year-round everywhere in Oklahoma.

Green: Year-Round Range, Yellow: Breeding Range
Image Credit: Cephas, Wikipedia

The range map for House Finches.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for House Finches?

Sunflower seed (top choice), safflower seed, nyjer seed

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for House Finches:

Meadow Ridge Farms Black Oil Sunflower Seed

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for House Finches?

Just about anything

Other tips?

House finches are often the first birds to find a new feeder (they were my first birds to visit).

Indigo Bunting

indigo, bunting, bird-6307283.jpg
Bright-blue Indigo Buntings are a fun feeder visitor in the spring.

What Time of Year?

In the spring and summer through Oklahoma.

Yellow: Summer Range, Green: Migrating-Only Range, Blue: Winter Range
Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons

The range map of Indigo Bunting.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Indigo Bunting?

White millet (best choice), hulled sunflower seed, nyjer seed

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Indigo Bunting?

They enjoy eating from the ground, or on small tube feeders.

Other tips?

This can be a challenging bird to attract. Your best bet is to have your feeders stocked with a variety of foods that they like and catch them during their migration.

Mourning Dove

Two Mourning Dove birds sitting on a tree branch during the winter.
Chonky.

What Time of Year?

Year-round throughout Oklahoma.

Orange: Summer Breeding Range, Purple: Year-Round Range, Blue: Non Breeding Winter Range – Image Source: Wikipedia Creative Commons

The range map of Mourning Doves.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Mourning Doves?

White millet (best choice), sunflower seeds, cracked corn

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Mourning Doves:

Backyard White Millet

What kind of bird feeder suits them?

Mourning Doves need a large platform or ground feeder.

Other tips?

Unless you have a large and steady platform feeder, sprinkling millet on the ground is perfect for Mourning Doves. They’re big birds and need a sturdy place to sit.

Northern Cardinal

A bright red male Northern Cardinal eating bird seed at a feeder.
What’s the best bird seed for Cardinals? Black-oil sunflower seeds!

What Time of Year?

Northern Cardinals are found year-round throughout Oklahoma.

Year-Round Range of Northern Cardinals
Source: Wikipedia Commons

The range map for Northern Cardinals.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Cardinals?

Sunflower seeds (top choice – black oil sunflower), safflower seed, millet, peanuts. There are Cardinal bird seed blends with both sunflower and safflower seeds.

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Cardinals:

Meadow Ridge Farms Black Oil Sunflower Seed

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Cardinals?

A large platform or ground feeder are the best bird feeders for Cardinals. They will visit most feeders as long as they can support their weight. Cardinals are larger songbirds (7 to 9 inches long).

Other tips?

Have your feeders in a quiet spot with bushes or trees nearby. Cardinals are shy birds and will want to scout out feeders and have a safe place to hide if they feel threatened. In the winter, when they aren’t competing for mates, you have a good chance of attracting several Cardinals at sunrise and sunset.

For more detail, check out my story with 5+ tips for attracting Cardinals to your yard

Northern Flicker

A Northern Flicker sitting on a tree branch.
Northern Flickers love eating ants! If you have an ant hill in your yard, try leaving it as a potential food source for them.

What Time of Year?

Year-round in most of Oklahoma.

Orange: Breeding, Purple: Year-Round, Blue: Non-Breeding

The range map for Northern Flickers.

What kind of food do Northern Flickers like?

A rare visitor to feeders (but often use bird baths). Northern Flickers will eat sunflowers, peanuts and suet on occasion.

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Northern Flickers?

A suet or ground feeder

Other tips?

Northern Flickers will use large nest boxes if you have space for one in your yard. Another weird tip: They love to eat ants. So, if you have an anthill at your home, leave it alone as a potential food source.

Painted Bunting

painted bunting, nature, bird-7338765.jpg
Painted Bunting are eye-catching birds with a mix of Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow.

What time of year?

Painted Bunting can be seen in most of Oklahoma during the breeding season. Here’s a detailed range map linked here from the Cornell Bird Lab.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Painted Bunting?

The best bird seed for Painted Bunting is white millet. They will also eat sunflower seed.

What kind of bird feeder suits them?

A tube or hopper feeder.

Other tips?

Painted Bunting are more likely to visit bird feeders in the second half of summer, according to the Cornell Bird Lab.

Pileated Woodpecker

A Pileated Woodpecker perched on a dead tree.
Tip one: Live in a remote area with a lot of trees. Tip two: Offer suet in a big feeder

What Time of Year?

Year-round in the Eastern-most regions of Oklahoma. See below and a more detailed state map is linked here from Cornell.

The range map for Pileated Woodpeckers.
The range for Pileated Woodpeckers. Image source: Wikipedia

What’s the Best Food for Pileated Woodpeckers?

Suet (top choice)

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Pileated Woodpeckers?

A large suet cage or platform.

Other tips?

Pileated Woodpeckers are HUGE. So, you’ll want to get a suet feeder that’s big enough to support them. Some suet feeders come with large platforms underneath, giving the bird room to balance using its tail.

Pileated Woodpeckers can be shy. You’ll have better luck if you live in a more-wooded, remote area and have a feeder in a low traffic spot.

Pine Siskin

pine siskin, bird, perched-5964294.jpg
Pine Siskin love hulled sunflower seed and nyjer seed.

What Time of Year?

During the winter throughout Oklahoma.

Purple: Year-Round, Blue: Winter, Light Blue: Migration Orange: Summer
Source: Cephas, Wikipedia

The range map of Pine Siskins.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Pine Siskins?

Nyjer seed, hulled sunflower seeds

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Pine Siskins:

Wild Delight Special Finch Food

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Pine Siskins?

Nearly anything! The Pine Siskin that visits me often loves the large tube feeder I have with a finch blend.

Other tips?

This is another erratic bird based off its food supply and migration. The Cornell Bird Lab says: “Flocks of tiny Pine Siskins may monopolize your thistle feeder one winter and be absent the next.”

Purple Finch

nature, wildlife, wildlifephotography-8068730.jpg
Pictured: A male Purple Finch.

What Time of Year?

During the winter in Central and Eastern-Oklahoma.

Pink: Summer, Orange: Winter, Green: Year-Round

The range map for Purple Finches.
Image Credit: Nk, Wikipedia

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Purple Finches?

Sunflower seed (top choice), safflower seed, nyjer

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Purple Finches?

Just about anything.

Other tidbits?

Purple Finches are more rare than the similar looking House Finches. Male Purple Finches have a red cap versus a brown cap for House Finches.

Red Bellied Woodpecker

red-bellied woodpecker, bird, animal-6816788.jpg
The Red-Bellied Woodpecker

What Time of Year?

Year-round in most of Oklahoma, except for the westernmost region.

A map showing the range of the Red Bellied Woodpecker
The range of the Red Bellied Woodpecker. Image source: Wikipedia

What’s the Best Food for Red Bellied Woodpeckers?

Suet (best choice), sunflower seeds, peanuts

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Red Bellied Woodpeckers?

A sturdy suet feeder or platform feeder.

Other tips?

You’ll have luck attracting a Red Bellied Woodpecker if you live near any sort of wooded area and offer a suet feeder. Also, they’re fond of sunflower seeds on occasion, and will also taste hummingbird nectar.

Red Breasted Nuthatch

red-breasted nuthatch, bird, log-5801909.jpg
Nuthatches will creep up, down and sideways on trees and bird feeders.

What Time of Year?

During the winter throughout Oklahoma.

Purple: Year-Round, Blue: Non-breeding
Credit: Cephas, Wikipedia

The range map for Red-Breasted Nuthatches.

What’s the Best Food for Red Breasted Nuthatches?

Peanuts, suet, and sunflower seeds

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Red Breasted Nuthatches?

Almost anything!

Other tips?

Offer an assortment of seeds on a variety of feeders to attract nuthatches. They will often sample several seeds before picking their favorite and fly off.

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

A Rose-Breasted Grosbeak perched on a tree.
The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak is an amazing sight at a bird feeder.

What Time of Year?

Throughout all of Oklahoma during their migration. Some north-central regions can have them nesting throughout the breeding season.

Yellow: Breeding-Range, Orange: Migration-Only, Blue: Winter-Range

A map showcasing the range of the Red Breasted Grosbeak bird in North America.
The range map for Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Rose Breasted Grosbeaks?

Sunflower (top choice), safflower

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Rose Breasted Grosbeaks?

A large platform, hopper or tube feeder with long perches. They’re Robin-sized birds and need space.

Other tips?

They’re likely to visit feeders in the spring during migration when they need extra energy. Have native plants and shrubs in your yard for another chance to attract these birds.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

A Ruby Throated Hummingbird sitting on a nectar bird feeder.
The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.

What Time of Year?

During their spring migration for Central-Oklahoma. May through September in the Eastern-regions of Oklahoma.

Orange: Summer, Yellow: Migration-Only, Blue: Winter-Range

The range map for Ruby Throated Hummingbirds.
The range map for Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Image Source: Wikipedia Commons

What’s the Best Food for Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds?

Nectar, flowers in your yard. You can easily make your own hummingbird nectar from home by combining four parts water with one part table sugar.

IMPORTANT: You must completely clean out your hummingbird feeders every other day at minimum. Clean them every day if it’s hot outside or if the feeders are in direct sunlight. The nectar easily starts growing bacteria and mold. This can harm or kill the hummingbird if you aren’t diligent!

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Hummingbirds?

A nectar hummingbird feeder that has the color red or yellow.

Other tips?

I’ve had luck attracting hummingbirds by hanging up a native flower plant in the summer.

Scarlet Tanager

bird, scarlet tanager, ornithology-6928881.jpg
A rare bird to attract during their spring migration if you’re lucky.

What Time of Year?

During their spring migration in the Western regions of Oklahoma.

Orange: Summer, Yellow: Migration-Only, Blue: Winter-Range

The range map for Scarlet Tanager birds.
The range map for the Scarlet Tanager. Source: Cephas, Wikipedia

What’s The Best Food for Scarlet Tanagers?

Suet, mealworms, oranges, raisins

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Scarlet Tanagers?

Fruit, suet or platform feeder

Other tips?

I haven’t been fortunate to have had a Scarlet Tanager visit my feeders. I’m told that you have the best shot at spotting one before or after storms in the spring. So, have your feeders stocked with a variety of suet and fruit. Good luck!

Song Sparrows

bird, song sparrow, wildlife-8111792.jpg
The Song Sparrow is one of the most abundant birds in America.

What Time of Year?

During the winter throughout Oklahoma.

A map showcasing the range of Song Sparrows in North America.
The range map for Song Sparrows. Image credit, Cephas, Wikipedia

What’s the Best Bird Seed for Song Sparrows?

Millet (top choice), sunflower seeds, cracked corn

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Song Sparrows:

Backyard White Millet

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Song Sparrows?

Song Sparrows usually eat seed straight from the ground. A ground feeder will also appeal to them.

Other tips?

Song Sparrows are surprisingly aggressive at my feeders! They usually chase away House Sparrows and other song birds to get at the seed on the ground.

Tufted Titmouse

A Tufted Titmouse bird sitting on a wooden perch during the winter.

What time of year?

Year-round through much of Oklahoma, except the western-most region.

A map showing the range of the Tufted Titmouse.
The range of the Tufted Titmouse. Image source: Wikipedia

What’s the Best Food for Titmice?

Sunflower (top choice), suet, peanuts, safflower seeds

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Titmice?

Just about anything. This is another bird that isn’t picky with feeders!

White Breasted Nuthatch

nuthatch, white-breasted nuthatch, bird-351395.jpg
The White-Breasted Nuthatch

What Time of Year?

Year-round in much of Oklahoma. During the winter in some of the western-regions of the state.

The range map of the White-Breasted Nuthatch.
The range map of the White-Breasted Nuthatch. Image source: Wikipedia

What’s the Best Bird Seed for White Breasted Nuthatches?

Peanut bits (top choice), sunflower, suet, safflower

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for White Breasted Nuthatch:

Lyric Peanut Pieces Wild Bird Food

What kind of bird feeder suits them?

Just about anything

Other tips?

Listen for their nasal call – I’ll often hear a nuthatch before it arrives on my feeders. Also, they’re acrobatic and will hang upside down on feeders.

White-Throated Sparrow

bird, sparrow, ornithology-7947106.jpg
Check the awesome yellow streak above their eyes!

What Time of Year?

In the winter throughout most of Oklahoma. During the spring migration in the western-most portion of the state.

A map showcasing the range of White-Throated Sparrows
A range map for White-Throated Sparrows. Image source: Isochrone, Wikipedia

What’s the Best Bird Seed for White-Throated Sparrows?

Millet (top choice), sunflower seeds, cracked corn

My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for White-Throated Sparrows:

Backyard White Millet

What’s the Best Bird Feeder for White-Throated Sparrows?

White-Throated Sparrows usually eat seed straight from the ground. A ground feeder will also appeal to them.

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