Looking for a reference guide on attracting Texas birds to your feeders? Look no further!
Below I’ve listed (in alphabetical order) birds you can attract in Texas, 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.
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.
- Provide water with a bird bath
- Avoid using pesticides
- Have trees and shrubbery nearby
- Plant native plants in your yard
- Keep your cats indoors
- Clean your bird feeders every few weeks to prevent disease
Bird Feeder References (links to examples on Amazon)
Bird Feed References (links to examples)
Mealworms (dried – check out your local bird store for live mealworms!)
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 Texas and my firsthand experience.
American Goldfinch
What Time of Year?
In the winter throughout Texas.
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
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.
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
What Time of Year?
Year-round in the North-Northeast portion of Texas. During the winter for the rest of the state.
Green – Year-Round Range, Blue – Wintering Range, Yellow – Breeding only
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.
Black-Chinned Hummingbird
What time of year?
During the spring-summer through much of Central and Southern-Texas. Here’s a link to a range map from the Cornell Bird Lab.
What’s the Best Food for Black-Chinned Hummingbirds?
Nectar, flowers in your yard. You can 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. Both of those colors attract hummingbirds! I tend to pick red-colored feeders because yellow can also attract bees.
Other stuff?
Black-Chinned Hummingbirds are adaptable! You can find them anywhere from deserts to urban areas in their range.
Blue Jay
What Time of Year?
Year-round in much of Texas. During the winter in most of the rest of the state.
Purple – Year-Round Range of Blue Jays, Blue – Non-Breeding Range
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
What Time of Year?
Year-round through much of Central and Eastern-Texas.
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
What Time of Year?
In the winter throughout Texas.
Yellow – Summer Only Range, Green – Year-Round, Blue – Winter Range
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
What Time of Year?
Throughout the state of Texas, depending on the time of year. Check out the range map for Chipping Sparrows below.
Orange: Breeding, Yellow: Spring-Migration Only, Purple: Year-round, Blue: Non-breeding
What’s the Best Bird Seed for Chipping Sparrows?
Millet (top choice), sunflower seeds, cracked corn
My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Sparrows:
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
Dark-Eyed Junco
The Range of Dark Eyed Juncos
Yellow – Summer Breeding Range, Green – Year-Round Range, Blue – Wintering Non-Breeding Range. Dark Eyed Juncos are common bird feeder visitors during the winter in much of Texas. Image source: Wikipedia Commons
What’s the Best Bird Seed for Juncos?
Millet (best bet), hulled sunflower seed, cracked corn, peanut hearts
My Top Amazon Bird Seed Recommendation for Juncos:
What Kind of Bird Feeder is Best for Juncos?
A ground feeder (leftover seed knocked down from hanging feeders will also suffice)
Downy Woodpeckers
What Time of Year?
Downy Woodpeckers can be found year-round in the North and Northeast areas of Texas. Here’s a link to a range map from Cornell.
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 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
What Time of Year?
Year-round in much of Texas. During the winter for most of the western portions of the state.
Yellow – Summer Breeding Range, Green – Year-Round Range, Purple – Wintering Range
Credit: rbrausse, Wikipedia
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.
Eastern Towhee
What Time of Year?
Here’s the range map for the Eastern Towhee below. Purple: Year-round, Orange: Summer range, Blue: Winter Range
What’s the Best Food for Eastern Towhee?
Peanut bits or hulled sunflower seed. They also like black-oil sunflower seed and cracked corn.
What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Eastern Towhee?
A ground feeder. They like to forage for food on the ground!
Other Tips?
The Cornell Bird Lab recommends you place a feeder near the edge of some vegetation and/or brushy areas of your yard. This will increase the odds of them scattering around for seed on the ground!
Hairy Woodpeckers
What Time of Year?
Year-round throughout some of Western-Texas. Here’s a detailed range map from Cornell.
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
What Time of Year?
Year-round everywhere in Texas, except the most southern portion.
Green: Year-Round Range, Yellow: Breeding Range
Image Credit: Cephas, Wikipedia
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
What Time of Year?
In the spring and summer through much of Texas.
Yellow: Summer Range, Green: Migrating-Only Range, Blue: Winter Range
Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons
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.
Lesser Goldfinch
What time of year?
Lesser Goldfinch are found year-round in much of the lower-half of Texas.
Orange: Breeding Range, Purple: Year-Round Range, Blue: Winter-Only Range
Image Credit: Cephas, Wikipedia
What’s the Best Bird Seed for Lesser Goldfinch?
Sunflower chips and nyjer seed are favored by Lesser Goldfinch.
What’s the Best Bird Feeder for Lesser Goldfinch?
They enjoy eating from the ground, or on small tube feeders.
Other tips?
The Cornell Bird Lab says Lesser Goldfinch can often be spotted in flocks with other Finch species like the American Goldfinch. Keep your eyes peeled for them in a flock of Finches!
Mourning Dove
What Time of Year?
Year-round throughout Texas.
Orange: Summer Breeding Range, Purple: Year-Round Range, Blue: Non Breeding Winter Range – Image Source: Wikipedia Creative Commons
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:
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
What Time of Year?
Northern Cardinals are found year-round throughout Texas.
Year-Round Range of Northern Cardinals
Source: Wikipedia Commons
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
What Time of Year?
During the winter in much of Texas. Year-round in some areas.
Orange: Breeding, Purple: Year-Round, Blue: Non-Breeding
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
What time of year?
Painted Bunting can be seen in most of Texas 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
What Time of Year?
Year-round in the Eastern-most regions of Texas.
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
What Time of Year?
During the winter in much of Texas. During their migration in the South-Southeast.
Purple: Year-Round, Blue: Winter, Light Blue: Migration Orange: Summer
Source: Cephas, Wikipedia
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
What Time of Year?
During the winter in Central and Eastern-Texas.
Pink: Summer, Orange: Winter, Green: Year-Round
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
What Time of Year?
Year-round in the Eastern-portions of Texas.
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
What Time of Year?
During the winter in the Northern-half of Texas.
Purple: Year-Round, Blue: Non-breeding
Credit: Cephas, Wikipedia
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
What Time of Year?
Throughout much of Texas during their spring migration.
Yellow: Breeding-Range, Orange: Migration-Only, Blue: Winter-Range
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
What Time of Year?
During their spring migration for Central-Texas. May through September in the Eastern-regions of Texas.
Orange: Summer, Yellow: Migration-Only, Blue: Winter-Range
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
What Time of Year?
During their spring migration in the Southeast-area of Texas.
Orange: Summer, Yellow: Migration-Only, Blue: Winter-Range
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
What Time of Year?
During the winter throughout Texas.
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:
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
What time of year?
Year-round through much of Eastern-Texas.
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
What Time of Year?
During the winter in North-Central Texas. Some of the Northeastern areas of the state have them year-round.
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
What Time of Year?
In the winter throughout Texas, but more common on the Eastern-portion of the state.
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:
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.
White-Winged Doves
What time of year?
During the breeding season through much of South-Central Texas. Some Southern regions have them year-round.
Orange: Breeding, Purple: Year-round, Blue: Winter-Range
What’s the Best Bird Seed for White-Winged Doves?
Safflower, sunflower, and cracked corn
What’s the Best Bird Feeder for White-Winged Doves?
A sturdy platform feeder.
Other tips?
The Cornell Bird Lab says a feeder higher in the air appeals to White-Winged Doves. They’re also prone to flying into windows, so buying some anti-collision decals for the spots near your feeder are helpful.