Virginia’s rich mix of mountains, forests, coastlines, and open fields makes it a haven for a colorful variety of songbirds.
From the fiery flash of the Northern Cardinal to the cheerful call of the Carolina Wren, these colorful crooners fill the state with life and music year-round.
Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just starting to tune in to the songs around you, learning to spot these feathered gems can turn a simple stroll into a rewarding outdoor adventure.
1. Northern Cardinal
That flash of brilliant red darting through your garden? The male Northern Cardinal is unmistakable with his crimson plumage, black face mask, and jaunty crest. Females sport a more subtle brownish-olive color with reddish accents.
Cardinals don’t migrate, so you can enjoy their cheerful “purty-purty-purty” whistles year-round in Virginia. They’re frequent visitors to bird feeders, especially those stocked with sunflower seeds.
Fun fact: Cardinals are so beloved they’ve been named the official state bird of seven different states—more than any other bird!
2. American Robin
Harbingers of spring, American Robins are actually around Virginia all year—they just move from forests to yards when the weather warms. Their rusty-orange breasts and gray backs make them instantly recognizable as they hop across lawns hunting for worms.
Morning people by nature, robins are often the first birds singing at dawn with their melodious “cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily” refrain. They build neat mud-reinforced nests, often in surprisingly visible locations.
Watch for their distinctive running-and-stopping hunting technique as they use their excellent vision to spot movement in the grass.
3. Eastern Bluebird
Jewels of the meadow, Eastern Bluebirds dazzle with the males’ brilliant azure backs contrasting against rusty-orange chests. Females wear more subdued versions of the same colors, appearing grayish-blue with orange hints.
Virginia’s conservation efforts have helped bluebird populations rebound through nestbox programs across the state. Listen for their soft, warbling song that sounds like “chur-lee, chur-lee” as they perch on wires or fence posts scanning for insects.
Bluebirds form close family bonds, with young birds from earlier broods sometimes helping parents raise their younger siblings—a rare behavior among songbirds!
4. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Buzzing through Virginia gardens from April to October, these flying jewels are the only hummingbird species that regularly nests in the state. Males sport the namesake iridescent ruby throat patch that flashes brilliantly in sunlight, while females have white throats and green backs.
Weighing less than a penny, these aerial acrobats can fly backward, upside down, and hover perfectly still. Their wings beat an astonishing 50-80 times per second!
Plant red tubular flowers like trumpet vine or set up sugar-water feeders to attract these miniature marvels to your yard, where you can witness their spectacular aerial dogfights and courtship dives.
5. American Goldfinch
Summer brings a transformation to male American Goldfinches as they molt into brilliant lemon-yellow plumage with contrasting black wings and caps. Winter sees them in more subdued olive-browns, similar to females year-round.
Goldfinches adore thistle seeds and their bouncy, undulating flight pattern is accompanied by a cheerful “po-ta-to-chip” call that announces their presence. Unlike many birds, they breed late in summer when thistle and other plant fibers are available for their exquisitely woven nests.
Virginia birders can attract these vegetarian birds with nyjer seed feeders or by letting native plants like coneflowers and sunflowers go to seed.
6. Tufted Titmouse
Sporting a jaunty gray crest that gives them a perpetually surprised expression, Tufted Titmice are charismatic year-round residents in Virginia’s woods and suburbs. Their large black eyes, rusty flanks, and pale gray bodies make them stand out at feeders.
Bold and curious by nature, these little birds often lead mixed-species foraging flocks in winter. Their clear, whistled “peter-peter-peter” calls echo through forests even on the coldest days.
Titmice have a peculiar habit of plucking hair from living animals (even sleeping dogs or humans!) to line their nests—a behavior that’s both resourceful and slightly mischievous.
7. Chimney Swift
Resembling flying cigars as they zoom across Virginia’s summer skies, Chimney Swifts spend almost their entire lives airborne. Their crescent-shaped silhouettes and chattering calls make them identifiable even at great heights.
Before European settlement, these aerial insectivores nested in hollow trees. Now they’ve adapted to human structures, particularly old brick chimneys where they build tiny half-cup nests glued to vertical surfaces with their sticky saliva.
Watching dozens of swifts circle and then suddenly pour into a chimney at dusk is one of Virginia’s most magical summer spectacles. Conservation efforts focus on preserving existing chimney habitat as modern capped designs have reduced nesting sites.
8. Dark-eyed Junco
Winter brings flocks of these “snowbirds” down from northern forests to Virginia’s backyards and woodlands. With their charcoal-gray hoods, white bellies, and pink bills, Dark-eyed Juncos look like they’re wearing formal attire.
Listen for their musical trill and watch for their distinctive feeding behavior—hopping and scratching on the ground beneath feeders like little feathered mice. Virginia hosts primarily the “slate-colored” subspecies, though other varieties occasionally appear.
Folk wisdom holds that when juncos arrive, winter isn’t far behind. Their sudden appearance in yards after summer’s end has made them natural weather predictors in rural Virginia traditions.
9. White-throated Sparrow
Melodious singers of the winter woods, White-throated Sparrows arrive in Virginia each fall with their plaintive “Old Sam Peabody-Peabody-Peabody” whistled song.
Their crisp facial pattern features black and white stripes, bright yellow lores (spots between eye and bill), and the signature white throat patch.
Fascinatingly, these sparrows come in two color morphs—white-striped and tan-striped—that mate preferentially with the opposite type. They forage in small flocks, scratching through leaf litter for seeds and insects.
Look for them in brushy edges of forests, parks, and even suburban yards where they hop along the ground, often in the company of juncos and other sparrows.
10. Song Sparrow
Masters of melody, Song Sparrows fill Virginia’s fields and marshes with complex tunes year-round. Despite their plain brown appearance, a closer look reveals beautiful streaking patterns and a central breast spot—their avian signature.
Every male sings a unique arrangement of notes, typically beginning with three clear, distinct tones before launching into a varied trill. These adaptable birds thrive in diverse habitats from coastal marshes to mountain meadows across the state.
Unlike many sparrows that flock in winter, Song Sparrows maintain territories year-round. Their tendency to sing even during winter warm spells brings unexpected cheer to Virginia’s coldest months.
11. Eastern Towhee
Rufous sides ablaze against dramatic black (males) or rich brown (females) upper parts, Eastern Towhees are the woodland ground’s flashy foragers. Their distinctive white belly and red eyes complete the striking appearance of these oversized sparrow relatives.
Listen for their signature “drink-your-teeeea” song or the scratchy “chewink” call that gives them their nickname. Virginia residents can spot towhees year-round, though some northern populations migrate.
Watch for their characteristic two-footed backward scratch in leaf litter—a noisy, energetic feeding technique that reveals hidden insects and seeds. This behavior often alerts birders to their presence before they’re spotted among the underbrush.
12. Red-eyed Vireo
Tireless singers of the forest canopy, Red-eyed Vireos may deliver over 20,000 songs in a single day! Their olive-green back, white underparts, and distinctive white eyebrow above their red eye create a subtle but elegant appearance.
Virginia’s summer woodlands echo with their question-and-answer phrases, as if the bird is having a conversation with itself. “Here-I-am… Where-are-you?… Over-here… See-me?”—on and on through the hottest summer days when other birds fall silent.
Masters of camouflage, these birds are heard far more often than seen as they methodically search for caterpillars among the leaves. They’re among the most abundant breeding birds in eastern forests.
13. Blue-headed Vireo
First to arrive and last to leave among Virginia’s vireos, the Blue-headed Vireo brings its sweet, deliberate song to mountain forests as early as March. Their striking blue-gray head contrasts beautifully with bright white spectacles (eye-rings connected by a line across the forehead) and greenish back.
Unlike their red-eyed cousins, these vireos sing with more measured phrases and longer pauses between them. They prefer higher elevations in Virginia, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountains where they nest in hemlock and pine forests.
Watch for their methodical foraging style—they move deliberately from branch to branch, carefully inspecting leaves and bark for insects.
14. Common Yellowthroat
Masked bandits of Virginia’s wetlands, male Common Yellowthroats sport a distinctive black mask across their eyes that contrasts dramatically with their bright yellow throat and breast. Females skip the mask but keep the yellow underparts and olive back.
Their catchy “witchity-witchity-witchity” song rings out from cattails and brushy areas near water throughout the warmer months. These warblers aren’t shy—they’ll often pop up to investigate if you make a “pishing” sound near their territory.
Unlike many warblers that stay high in the canopy, yellowthroats prefer low vegetation, making them easier to spot as they hop through tangled growth hunting for insects.
15. Yellow-rumped Warbler
Winter’s most abundant warbler in Virginia, the Yellow-rumped’s bright yellow rump patch flashes like a beacon as it flits through trees and shrubs. Winter plumage is primarily grayish-brown with yellow patches on the sides and rump, while breeding males add striking black and white patterns.
Nicknamed “butter-butts” by affectionate birders, these adaptable warblers can digest waxy berries like bayberry and wax myrtle that other warblers can’t—a superpower that allows them to winter farther north than their relatives. Their sharp “check” calls announce flocks moving through winter woods.
Look for them performing acrobatic fly-catching maneuvers or gleaning insects from tree bark.
16. Northern Parula
Tiny but vibrant, Northern Parulas announce spring in Virginia’s forests with their distinctive rising, buzzy trill that suddenly breaks upward at the end. Males show a stunning blue-gray back, yellow throat and breast split by a dark band, and white eye crescents.
Spanish moss and old man’s beard lichen are their preferred nesting materials, which they weave into hanging pouches. In Virginia, they’re particularly common in the coastal plain and along river systems where these materials are abundant.
Among the smallest of warblers at just 4.5 inches long, parulas often forage at mid-levels in trees, hovering to inspect the undersides of leaves for tiny insects and spiders.
17. Black-and-white Warbler
Zebra-striped and perpetually in motion, the Black-and-white Warbler creeps along tree trunks and branches like a tiny nuthatch. Their bold black and white striped pattern extends from head to tail, creating one of the most distinctively marked warblers in Virginia’s forests.
Their thin, squeaky “wee-see, wee-see, wee-see” song is often heard before the bird is spotted spiraling up tree trunks. Unlike most warblers that glean insects from leaves, these striped specialists probe bark crevices with their slightly curved bills.
Ground nesters despite their tree-climbing habits, they build well-concealed nests at the bases of trees or stumps throughout Virginia’s deciduous forests.
18. Scarlet Tanager
Flame-red bodies with jet-black wings and tail, male Scarlet Tanagers are among Virginia’s most spectacular forest birds during summer months. Females wear a subtle yellowish-olive that provides excellent camouflage as they nest in deciduous forests.
Despite their brilliant coloration, these birds can be surprisingly difficult to spot as they forage in the upper canopy. Their distinctive “chip-burr” call and robin-like song with a burry quality often gives away their presence.
Winter transforms males into yellowish birds similar to females before they migrate to South America. Virginia’s mature deciduous forests, particularly in the mountains and Piedmont, provide critical breeding habitat for these declining songbirds.
19. Cedar Waxwing
Sleek, masked, and impossibly smooth-looking, Cedar Waxwings sport a sophisticated palette of soft brown, yellow, and gray, accented by a rakish black mask and distinctive red waxy wingtips. Their crested heads and yellow-tipped tails complete the elegant appearance.
Sociable fruit-lovers, waxwings travel in tight flocks that descend upon berry-laden trees and shrubs across Virginia. Watch for their characteristic behavior of passing berries down a line of birds perched on a branch—a charming display of avian cooperation.
Their high, thin whistles and buzzy trills aren’t much of a song, but their beauty and graceful flight more than compensate for their limited vocal repertoire.
20. Yellow-throated Warbler
Masters of the high canopy, Yellow-throated Warblers dazzle with their crisp black and white patterns set off by a brilliant yellow throat. Their distinctive white eyebrow stripe and black cheek patch create a striking facial pattern visible even from below.
Arriving early to Virginia in March, these warblers favor mature forests with pine and sycamore trees. Along coastal areas, they’re particularly associated with bald cypress swamps where their clear, descending trill echoes across still waters.
Unlike many warblers that flit constantly, Yellow-throated Warblers often creep deliberately along large branches, probing bark crevices with their unusually long bills—behavior more reminiscent of nuthatches than typical warblers.
21. House Wren
Bubbling with energy and song, House Wrens pack enormous personality into their tiny brown bodies. These pocket-sized birds arrive in Virginia each spring, immediately filling neighborhoods with their exuberant, burbling songs that seem too loud for such a small performer.
Masters of improvisation, male wrens stuff any suitable cavity with twigs—including mailboxes, flowerpots, and old shoes—before showing females their handiwork. The female then builds the actual nest inside this twig foundation.
Despite their name and comfort around humans, these wrens are equally at home in woodland edges throughout Virginia. Their upturned tails and constant motion make them entertaining to watch as they hunt for insects.
22. Carolina Wren
Rust-colored and full of attitude, Carolina Wrens announce their presence with a loud “tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle” song that belies their small size. Year-round residents throughout Virginia, these charismatic birds sport distinctive white eyebrows that emphasize their inquisitive expression.
Pairs mate for life and stay together throughout the year, often calling back and forth to maintain contact. Their nesting habits are famously eccentric—from mailboxes to boot racks to abandoned hornet nests, almost any protected cavity might attract a pair.
Cold winters can reduce their numbers in northern Virginia, but mild years have allowed these southern birds to expand their range northward over recent decades.
23. Brown-headed Cowbird
Controversial characters in the bird world, male Brown-headed Cowbirds sport glossy black bodies topped with chocolate-brown heads that shine in sunlight. Females wear a uniform grayish-brown that helps them slip unnoticed into other birds’ territories.
Notorious for their breeding strategy, cowbirds are brood parasites that lay eggs in other birds’ nests, leaving foster parents to raise their young. Originally following bison herds across prairies, they adapted to follow cattle and expanded eastward into Virginia’s fragmented forests.
Their unique “glug-glug-gleee” liquid call and distinctive flight whistle announce their presence at forest edges and fields throughout the state. Despite their bad reputation, they’re native birds playing their own ecological role.
24. Eastern Meadowlark
Sunshine-yellow breasts emblazoned with a bold black V-shaped collar make Eastern Meadowlarks standout singers of Virginia’s grasslands. Their brown-streaked backs provide perfect camouflage when they’re not perched on fence posts broadcasting their flute-like melodies.
These ground-nesters create dome-shaped grass structures with side entrances, often with grass “runways” leading to the hidden entrance. Unfortunately, changing agricultural practices and habitat loss have caused significant population declines across their range.
Virginia’s hayfields, pastures, and airport margins still host these iconic grassland birds. Their sweet, clear whistled song—often transcribed as “Spring-of-the-yeeeear”—carries impressively far across open country.
25. Purple Finch
Raspberry-dipped rather than truly purple, male Purple Finches look as though they’ve been soaked in berry juice, with the reddish coloration strongest on the head and breast. Females wear crisp brown and white streaking with a distinctive white eyebrow stripe.
Winter visitors to most of Virginia, these northern finches appear at feeders during cold months. Their rich, warbling song has more complexity and sweetness than the similar House Finch’s.
Look for their thick, conical bills perfectly designed for cracking seeds. When feeding on tree buds in spring, they systematically snip off flower parts, dropping petals like snow beneath their perch—a behavior that can help identify these finches even from a distance.