North Dakota is home to a variety of wild birds. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most recognizable and well-known birds in North Dakota, especially those that can be found close to home. Some of these species live in North Dakota all year long, others are only part-time residents. So let’s take a look at 25 backyard birds in North Dakota and learn a little about each species.
After that I’ll show you how to attract them to your yard, give you a crash course in the 10 different types of bird feeders you can use to do so, and even mention a few birdwatching hotspots and birding organizations in North Dakota.
How many different species of wild birds are in North Dakota?
It’s difficult to get an exact number of how many bird species found in North America, the United States, or even in the state of North Dakota. However, according to Wikipedia as of April 2021, there are about 420 species included on the official state list.
Most reputable sources believe there are between around 800 – 1100 species of birds in North America. Here are a few of them:
- National Wildlife Federation – more than 800 species
- Ornithology.com – about 900 species
- Audubon – over 800 species
- Wikipedia – 1125 species
For the purposes of this article, we are just going to look at some of our favorite, common backyard species found in North Dakota.
25 backyard birds in North Dakota
Below we’ll look at 25 species of backyard birds in North Dakota, some are year-round residents and some aren’t. These obviously aren’t all the species in the state, or even close to it, but they are some of the more notable and recognizable North Dakota backyard birds, many of which you can see at your bird feeders. Let’s get to it!