What kind of birds are in southern Indiana?
The Birdwatcher‘s Paradise: An Expert Guide to the Birds of Southern Indiana
As a lifelong birder and Indiana native, I‘ve explored the diverse habitats across southern Indiana and marveled at the hundreds of bird species that call this area home. From vibrant neotropical migrants fluttering through on their epic journeys to resident birds raising their young in quiet forests, this region offers spectacular birdwatching. Join me on a tour through a birdwatcher‘s paradise as we discover the birds of southern Indiana!
Introduction
Spanning glaciated and unglaciated terrain, southern Indiana contains a mosaic of environments that attract varied birdlife. As a certified Indiana Master Naturalist and longtime member of the Indiana Audubon Society, I‘ve birded across the state and found that southern Indiana offers particularly excellent opportunities. The Ohio River Valley, rolling hills, lush forests, expansive wetlands, lakes, and agricultural areas found here provide ideal habitat for both migratory and resident species. In fact, over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the region by avid birders and researchers!
In this guide, you‘ll learn how to identify many of the birds that call southern Indiana home. I‘ll share tips on the best spots to find different species, along withexpert advice on bird feeders and landscaping to draw more birds to your own backyard. You‘ll also discover facts on migration patterns, nesting behaviors, conservation issues, and more. My goal is to equip you with the knowledge to become a better birder and explore the diverse avian treasures of southern Indiana. Let‘s get started!
Table of Contents:
- Backyard Birds Year-Round
- Neotropical Migrants Stopping By
- Summer Nesting Species
- Winter Residents and Visitors
- Birds of Prey Soaring Overhead
- Waterfowl and Shorebirds
- The Woodpeckers of Indiana
- Specialties and Rarities to Spot
- Creating a Birdwatcher‘s Backyard
- Conservation Concerns
- Resources for Birding Southern Indiana
Backyard Birds Year-Round
Get to know the species likely visiting your backyard feeders or nesting in nearby trees:
Northern Cardinal – The bright red male is unmistakable. Female cardinals are tan and red. As Indiana‘s state bird, cardinals bring color year-round.
American Robin – Robins arrive in spring, but some stick around all winter. Watch for them bathing in puddles or tugging earthworms from your lawn.
Blue Jay – Their raucous calls announce their arrival. Jays act as lookouts and warn other birds of danger. Their blue plumage dazzles against snowy backdrops.
Mourning Dove – A graceful visitor with a muted buff color and black-spotted wings. Mourning doves perch prominently and make soft, sad cooing sounds.
Downy Woodpecker – At 6 inches, it’s the smallest woodpecker in North America. The male has a bold red spot on its head. Listen for its high-pitched call.
Black-capped Chickadee – This tiny acrobat will impress you as it hangs upside down from branches and feeders. Chickadees stay in cohesive flocks through winter.
Tufted Titmouse – Their "Peter, Peter" whistled song reveals their presence. Cute and round-headed with a tufted gray crest, titmice are chickadee cousins.
House Finch – Originally only in the West, house finches now live across North America. Males have deep red heads, breasts, and eyebrows.
White-breasted Nuthatch – Nuthatches walk down tree trunks headfirst! Watch them scale a tree while foraging for seeds and insects.
Neotropical Migrants Stopping By
Prepare to be dazzled by tropical birds pausing in Indiana on their epic migrations:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – America‘s sole breeding hummingbird east of the Mississippi. Listen for the drone of their rapid wing beats.
Yellow-rumped Warbler – One of the earliest warbler migrants with bright yellow patches. They winter farther north than other warblers.
Scarlet Tanager – Brilliantly hued males light up the treetops in breeding season. They migrate as far as South America for winter!
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – Their rose-red triangle on a white breast is unmistakable. Males also sport a black head with bold white markings.
Orchard Oriole – Smaller cousin to the Baltimore oriole. Weave lengths of hair or string into nesting pouches to attract them.
Indigo Bunting – Glimpse a flash of pure blue sky in the treetops, and you’ve likely spotted a male indigo bunting! Females are a warm brown color.
Summer Nesting Species
Summer breeding residents you may find raising their young in southern Indiana:
Red-eyed Vireo – Camouflaged vireos sing tirelessly from forest canopies. Listen for their “Here I am! Where are you?” song.
Eastern Kingbird – Aggressive flycatchers that chase off intruders near their nests, including crows and hawks.
Barn Swallow – These aerial acrobats nest in barns and under eaves, swooping low over fields to catch insects.
Eastern Bluebird – Bright blue backs and rusty breasts make them easy to identify. They readily use man-made nest boxes.
Yellow Warbler – Buttery yellow with rusty streaks on their breasts. They sing a sweet whistled “sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet” song.
Common Yellowthroat – Skulking in the undergrowth, masked yellowthroats have a distinctive black bandit’s mask and bright yellow throat.
Dickcissel – Male dickcissels sing a buzzy “dick dick” song from perches in grasslands and meadows across the state.
Winter Residents and Visitors
Not all birds fly south in winter. Here‘s who you might see visiting:
Dark-eyed Junco – Small snowbirds hopping about on the ground have dusty gray plumage and white outer tail feathers that flash as they fly.
Cedar Waxwing – Nomadic waxwings move from tree to tree in great noisy flocks searching for fruit. They have a sleek crest and bright yellow tail band.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sapsuckers drill sap wells that hummingbirds, orioles, and other birds come to feed on.
American Tree Sparrow – Look for rusty caps, finely streaked underparts, and an unstreaked gray breast with one dark spot.
Birds of Prey Soaring Overhead
Several magnificent raptors hunt across southern Indiana:
Red-tailed Hawk – One of the most widespread raptors in North America. Watch for their reddish tails and listen for their high, shrill cries.
Bald Eagle – With recovery of this American icon, bald eagles are now a common sight along Indiana‘s waterways.
Eastern Screech Owl – Discover small screech owls in wooded parks. They come in gray and rufous color morphs to match tree bark.
Barred Owl – Distinguished by mottled brown barring across its chest and lacking ear tufts. Its eight-note hooting rises in cadence.
Turkey Vulture – Watch turkey vultures teetering high in the sky on flat wings tipped upward in a ‘V‘ shape. Their sense of smell finds carrion.
Cooper‘s Hawk – Though small, Cooper‘s hawks are fierce bird predators. They chase smaller birds through backyards and woodlands.
Waterfowl and Shorebirds
From inland lakes to the Ohio River, water features attract diverse water birds:
Wood Duck – Elegant “woodies” nest in southern Indiana‘s wooded swamps and rivers. Watch for their crested heads and colorful plumage.
Great Blue Heron – Tall and statuesque, herons stand silent watch over riverbanks waiting to spear fish with quick jabs of their dagger bills.
Killdeer – Tailing waving and wings flashing orange, killdeer run piping along the ground and gravel shorelines. They fake injury to lure predators away from nests.
Sandhill Crane – In recent decades, sandhill cranes have been returning to migrate through Indiana. Their rattling calls carry far.
American White Pelican – With a 9-foot wingspan, pelicans glide on prominent black-tipped wings. See them on larger lakes like Monroe and Patoka.
The Woodpeckers of Indiana
Several woodpecker species drum, call, and forage across southern Indiana:
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Though pale red on its head and neck, the red belly is usually hard to see on this acrobatic bird.
Downy Woodpecker – The smallest woodpecker creeps up and down branches and along eaves in search of insects. Listen for their harsh, squealing call.
Red-headed Woodpecker – Their completely crimson heads make them easy to identify. They hawk insects on the wing and cache nuts and seeds in bark crevices.
Northern Flicker – Unlike other woodpeckers, flickers spend lots of time on the ground eating ants. Males have a bold black "moustache."
Pileated Woodpecker – Nearly crow-sized with a flaming red crest, the striking pileated woodpecker is our largest woodpecker. It leaves behind massive, rectangular excavations.
Specialties and Rarities to Spot
Southern Indiana also hosts less common species for diligent birders to find:
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – Look in wetland trees for these stocky, red-eyed herons with pale blue-gray bodies and plume-like yellow crowns.
Red Crossbill – Uniquely adapted birds with crossed bill tips pry seeds from pine cones. Check for them in conifers during winter months.
Orange-crowned Warbler – Drab overall but look for a hint of orange on the crown. They migrate through woodlands in spring and fall.
Sandhill Crane – In recent decades, sandhill cranes have been returning to migrate through Indiana. Their loud calls carry over marshes.
Loggerhead Shrike – With hooked beaks and fierce dispositions, loggerhead shrikes are uncommon predatory songbirds to find in open country.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Not seen as frequently as other woodpeckers. They drill sap wells that attract other bird species.
Long-eared Owl – Reclusive owls you‘re more likely to hear than see. Listen for their low, pulsing hoots near dense evergreen thickets.
Creating a Birdwatcher‘s Backyard
Draw more birds to your own yard with these tips:
Landscape with native plants – Provide key food and shelter sources like berry bushes, oak trees, maple trees, goldenrod, asters, and more. Leave some dead trees for nesting.
Offer suite of feeders – Cater to different birds with specific seeds, fruit, suet feeders, and nectar feeders. Maintain clean, well-stocked feeders year-round.
Supply water – A birdbath, fountain, or garden pond will be popular! Add drippers, misters, and heaters to keep water ice-free in winter.
Put up nest boxes – Give birds like bluebirds, wrens, and owls a place to raise young. Ensure proper box type, placement, and maintenance.
Limit threats – Keep cats indoors as much as possible. Trim vegetation around feeders to reduce predator hiding spots. Avoid pesticides.
Be a friend – Seeing the same birds return to your yard over the years will delight you. Offering a sanctuary supports populations.
Conservation Concerns
To ensure future generations can enjoy southern Indiana‘s birds, some conservation issues must be addressed:
Habitat loss – Development, logging, and conversion of land for human use destroys vital bird habitat across the state. Preservation of forests, wetlands, and grasslands is key.
Collisions – An estimated 300 million birds per year die from building collisions in the U.S. Turn off lights during migration periods and install decals.
Climate change – Birds are threatened by shifting suitable ranges, changing plant communities, increased storms, and disrupted migration timing. Minimize your carbon footprint.
Invasive species – Non-native plants overtake native vegetation important for birds. Carefully remove invasives from your land.
Outdoor cats – Cats allowed outdoors kill around 2 billion birds per year nationwide. For bird preservation, keep pet cats inside.
Pesticides – Chemical use can accumulate through the food chain and harm bird reproduction and survival. Prioritize natural pest control.
Resources for Birding Southern Indiana
To help you explore all the birding opportunities here, I suggest checking out these resources:
Indiana DNR birding page – Learn about birding events and the Birding Trail program. http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/7193.htm
Indiana Audubon Society – Find local chapters and young birders activities. https://www.indianaaudubon.org/
eBird – Record your observations and explore sightings from across southern Indiana. https://ebird.org/home
Hardy Lake State Park – Diverse habitat attracts 220+ species! Visit for guided hikes and the Songbird Festival.
Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area – Wetlands draw huge numbers of waterbirds and migrating shorebirds.
Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge – Prime spot for waterfowl and grassland species. Trails with prairie views abound.
O‘Bannon Woods State Park – Varied land features host over 100 species. Join a Birding Basics program.
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge – Immerse yourself in river bottoms, hills, and dense forests full of birds.
Conclusion
I hope this guide has shown you the incredible diversity of birds that live in, migrate through, and visit southern Indiana throughout the year. Grab your binoculars and field guide to start spotting species! Listening for songs and calls will aid identification skills. Remember to bird responsibly by not disturbing nests or stressing birds. Take advantage of parks, refuges, and protected lands that offer prime viewing opportunities. Joining a local birding or Audubon group can also connect you to knowledgeable experts and community. Protecting habitats and supporting conservation will ensure our beloved birds remain a vibrant part of southern Indiana natural heritage for generations to come. The birds are waiting to be discovered – now get out there and bird!