You know, in all my years of backyard bird watching, I’ve discovered something remarkable about our feathered friends – they’re a lot smarter than most folks give them credit for. These incredible creatures not only remember the people who feed them, but they can also communicate information about food sources to other birds.

Let me share with you some of the most intelligent birds you might meet in your own backyard.

1. American Crows Are Smart, Common, and Eat Almost Anything

Intelligent and brooding, American Crows have one of the most distinctive “caw” sounds across all bird species. You can find crows in a variety of habitats, even with continuous attempts to exterminate them.

Crows are relatively large birds, which makes them difficult targets for hawks. Additionally, crows are intelligent birds that often evade being captured by predators.

However, if a hawk is particularly hungry or desperate, it may take the risk of attacking a crow. Ultimately, whether or not hawks eat crows depends on the individual bird and the circumstances.

Look for crows in woodlands, fields, towns, or even cities. Crows will feed on pretty much anything edible.

Insects, fruits, eggs, leftovers in the garbage, you name it!

2. Northern Cardinals Visit Feeders and Share Food Beak to Beak

Although the Northern Cardinals’ range is mostly in the east and mid-west, you can still find them visiting your feeders in Arizona. These birds are quite romantic; you’ll find the breeding male feeding the female grains beak to beak.

Northern Cardinals are common backyard birds and can be seen around a bird feeding station, though they can also be seen hopping around bushes, perching in tree branches, or searching the ground for seeds. Some of their most common territories include heavily wooded areas, even city parks!

3. Black-Capped Chickadees Grab Food and Move On

Black-Capped Chickadees are year-long residents of Maine’s deciduous forests. They’re acrobatic and usually in the air; they rarely stay at a birdfeeder.

Instead, they just grab their food and go! Black-Capped Chickadees join Canada Jays as the only two songbirds on the list.

These tiny little birds are cute and curious. They have short necks and big heads, and their bodies are round-ish.

Black-capped chickadees look cartoon-like, having round, stocky bodies and black-colored heads. Their bodies are primarily gray, white, and black, and their eyes are hardly distinguishable from the black around them.

4. Blue Jays Cache Acorns and Imitate Hawks

Blue Jays eat almost everything! Their favorite meal is acorns.

They’re so fond of acorns that they might store them in the ground for later. This helps in forest spreading when the Blue Jay loses their acorns.

Blue jays are very smart and resourceful, as they can imitate the calls of a hawk to warn other birds. Also, they’re capable of cracking hard nuts open!

However, there is some evidence to suggest that blue jays may be particularly effective at deterring hawks. One study found that blue jays were more likely than other species to mob predators and that hawks were less successful in hunting areas where blue jays were plentiful.

5. Mourning Doves Forage on the Ground and Visit Platform Feeders

If you have a platform feeder, there’s a high chance you’ll catch a couple of mourning doves feeding on it. They’re frequent backyard visitors, and they’re a common bird in most states.

Despite their gloomy name, Mourning Doves are quite pretty with their tan plumage and dark spots all over their wings. They mostly stay on telephone lines or forage on the ground.

6. Tufted Titmice Are Gray, Peach-Flanked, and Common in Wooded Parks

Tufted titmice are gray and white. They have rusty or peach coloration down their sides.

Because they have a small black patch above their bill, they have been described as “snub-nosed.” Tufted Titmice are common all year in South Carolina, especially in shaded trees, groves, and woodlands below 2,000 feet in elevation. You can also spot them in suburbs, orchards, and city parks with large trees.

7. European Starlings Spread Fast and Crowd Out Other Birds

Many bird experts consider European starlings to be champion troublemakers! These small, speckled brown birds have an aesthetic appeal, but their behavior causes many problems for birdwatchers.

They are often considered to be a pest or nuisance. Starlings are not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

They were introduced into North America in 1890 and have now spread throughout the continent. European starlings are considered a nuisance species in Florida due to their aggressive behavior and loud calls.

However, these birds play an important role in the ecosystem by controlling insect populations.

8. White-Breasted Nuthatches Come to Suet and Sunflower Feeders

White-breasted nuthatches have been steadily increasing due to bird feeders. They’re attracted to suet and sunflower seeds.

You can find these birds widespread across forests and along rivers and roads. Four species of Nuthatches live and breed in North America.

The White-breasted nuthatch is the most common one in Rhode Island, along with its red cousin, the Red-breasted nuthatch.

9. Northern Mockingbirds Learn Songs and Defend Food and Nests

Mockingbirds are mimics – within the new world family of passerine birds called mimidae. This family includes not only mockingbirds but also thrashers, tremblers, and new world catbirds.

According to Mass Audubon, mockingbirds are the “most zealous” of the backyard birds, sometimes even becoming territorial about protecting food in the fall or winter in addition to protecting their nests. Mockingbirds actually do attack hawks, sometimes victoriously.

So why would a tiny mockingbird take on such a formidable opponent? There are several theories as to why mockingbirds might attack hawks.

10. House Finches Crowd Feeders for Nyjer and Sunflower

Try to attract house finches with hearty helpings of nyjer and sunflower seeds. Just be mindful, as they’re a little aggressive and may scare off other birds while they’re feeding!

House finches are easy to confuse with purple finches, but here’s a hint: look at the rest of the body. Purple finches are reddish all over, while house finches only have it on their head and chest.

They’re particularly fond of orchards where they can dig into pears, plums, and strawberries. As such, you can easily attract house finches to your bird feeding station with black oil sunflower seeds or red mulberries.

11. Carolina Wrens Hunt Leaf Litter and Stay Close to People

Not only are Carolina wrens not shy, but they actually feel more comfortable around humans since predators stay away from populated areas. You can attract Carolina wrens to your backyard with bird fountains or brush piles to help insects gather.

Carolina Wrens are very curious little birds who will poke around in leaf litter, explore squirrel nests, and flip over decaying bark and limbs to find insects and spiders to eat.

What these 11 birds do

Bird	What they remember / do
American Crow	Intelligent, with a distinctive caw. Found in woodlands, fields, towns, and cities. They eat pretty much anything edible: insects, fruits, eggs, leftovers in the garbage. They are relatively large and often evade hawks.
Northern Cardinal	The breeding male feeds the female grains beak to beak. Common backyard birds around a feeding station; also hopping around bushes, perching in tree branches, or searching the ground for seeds. Range is mostly east and mid-west, but they visit feeders in Arizona too.
Black-capped Chickadee	Acrobatic and rarely stay at a feeder: they grab their food and go. Year-long residents of Maine's deciduous forests. Round, stocky bodies, short necks, big black heads; gray, white, and black.
Blue Jay	Favorite meal is acorns, which they might store in the ground (and lose, which helps in forest spreading). They imitate the calls of a hawk to warn other birds, are capable of cracking hard nuts open, and are more likely than other species to mob predators.
Mourning Dove	Frequent backyard visitors and common in most states. High chance they will use a platform feeder. Tan plumage with dark spots on the wings; they mostly stay on telephone lines or forage on the ground.
Tufted Titmouse	Gray and white with rusty or peach sides and a small black patch above the bill ("snub-nosed"). Common all year in South Carolina in shaded trees, groves, and woodlands below 2,000 feet, and in suburbs, orchards, and city parks with large trees.
European Starling	Introduced into North America in 1890 and now spread throughout the continent. Not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Often considered a pest or nuisance for aggressive behavior and loud calls; they play a role in the ecosystem by controlling insect populations.
White-breasted Nuthatch	Attracted to suet and sunflower seeds; numbers have been steadily increasing due to bird feeders. Widespread across forests and along rivers and roads. The most common nuthatch in Rhode Island of the four North American species.
Northern Mockingbird	Mimics in the Mimidae family (with thrashers, tremblers, and New World catbirds). Mass Audubon calls them the most zealous backyard birds: territorial about food in fall or winter as well as their nests. They do attack hawks, sometimes victoriously.
House Finch	Attract them with nyjer and sunflower seeds; they are a little aggressive and may scare off other birds while feeding. Red only on the head and chest, not all over like a purple finch. Fond of orchards (pears, plums, strawberries); also black oil sunflower seeds or red mulberries.
Carolina Wren	Not shy; they feel more comfortable around humans because predators stay away from populated areas. Attract them with bird fountains or brush piles. They poke through leaf litter, squirrel nests, and decaying bark for insects and spiders.

Keep reading

• 10 Winter Birds That Make Your Garden Special
• The Secret Lives of Garden Birds: 10 Behaviors That Defy Explanation
• Common Mistakes That Drive Backyard Birds Away