Backyard Birds of Indiana
Indiana has more than 400 bird species on its state list, and a surprising number of them can show up right outside your window if you know what to look for. Whether you are just starting to notice birds at the feeder or you have been birding for years, this page is here to help you explore the common birds of Indiana and take the next step from casual interest to real connection.
Indiana Audubon works across the state to protect bird habitat, study migration, and help people connect with birds through conservation, education, and research.
Find Birding Events | Join Indiana Audubon | Support Bird Conservation
New to Birding? Start Here.
If you are new to birding, these are some of the best ways to get started in Indiana.
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Indiana Bird Checklists
See which birds are expected in Indiana, learn what is seasonal, and keep track of what you are finding. -
Upcoming Birding Events
Join a field trip, workshop, or beginner-friendly outing and learn from birders who know Indiana birds and places. -
Become a Member
Support bird conservation in Indiana and stay connected to programs, research, events, and birding opportunities across the state.
Common Backyard Birds
These are some of the birds you are most likely to see around your home, neighborhood, park, or feeder. Click any bird below to learn more about how to identify it, what it eats, and when you are most likely to see it in Indiana.
Turn Backyard Birding Into Community Science
Once you start noticing birds, you can do more than enjoy them. You can help document them. Indiana Audubon supports bird counts and community science opportunities that help track bird populations across the state and beyond.
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Christmas Bird Count
Join one of Indiana’s long-running winter bird counts and contribute data used by birders and researchers. -
Great Backyard Bird Count
Spend as little as 15 minutes counting birds from your yard, local park, or favorite birding spot and submit what you see. -
Global Big Day
Be part of a worldwide day of birding and help create a real-time snapshot of birdlife across the globe.
Log your backyard sightings on eBird, and they become part of the scientific record. It is one of the easiest ways for birders at any level to contribute useful data.
Birding Resources
Looking for more tools? These resources can help you build confidence, learn seasonal patterns, and explore birds across Indiana.
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Indiana’s Official Bird Checklist
View the official state checklist online and explore Indiana’s bird diversity in one place. -
Seasonal Bird Checklist
Learn what birds are expected at different times of year and why unusual sightings can matter. -
Indiana Bird Counts
Explore annual bird counts and find ways to take part in statewide bird monitoring efforts. -
Indiana Birding Trail
Discover top birding locations across the state with mapped routes, site details, and seasonal highlights. -
eBird
Track your sightings, explore real-time bird data, and see what others are finding across Indiana and beyond.
Go Beyond the Backyard
Birding in Indiana does not stop at the feeder. Explore places, programs, and events that can help you see more birds and better understand the habitats they depend on.
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Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary
Visit one of Indiana’s premier birding destinations and experience habitat protection in action. -
Guided Events and Field Trips
Find walks, programs, and seasonal outings designed to help people connect with birds around the state. -
Indiana Dunes Birding Festival
Explore one of the Midwest’s best birding regions through a festival built around migration, learning, and community.
Stay Connected to Birds in Indiana
Indiana Audubon connects backyard birders to the bigger picture, from neighborhood feeders to major migration corridors and protected habitats across the state. Membership supports the science, sanctuaries, education, and conservation work behind what you are seeing in your yard.
