A Guide to Winter Birds of Arkansas

Many birds migrate from Arkansas in the winter but there are many winter residents still to be seen. Read on to discover the winter birds of Arkansas that may stop by your backyard for a visit.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - Brown Creeper

The Brown Creeper is one of the smaller winter birds of Arkansas, growing only to about 5 ¼ inches in height. Its main color is brown with a white breast and throat. It has a long, rusty brown tail. It is often spotted creeping along tree limbs and trunks eating insects from the tree bark.

The song of these winter birds of Arkansas is a series of high, thin whistles usually starting high and ending low. The nest of the Brown Creeper is likened to a hammock. It's made of bark, moss and silk pieces and is built against the trunk of a tree.

The Brown Creeper is an interesting specimen among the winter birds of Arkansas because it uses its natural color as a camouflage. It will remain completely still when a predator is near and blend in to its surroundings.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - Yellow-rumped Warbler

The Yellow-rumped Warblers are small winter birds of Arkansas, growing to no more than 5 ½ inches in height. Its upper body is brownish gray in color with streaks on its breast. It has a pronounced yellow rump that can be seen in flight and yellow patches on the front of its wings. The Yellow-rumped Warbler's colors dull in the winter months.

These winter birds of Arkansas have a loose trill of a song, either higher or lower in pitch at the end. These winter birds do not breed in Arkansas and as such, do not build nests here.

The Yellow-rumped Warblers are unique winter birds of Arkansas because they leave the state in early spring to breed in the far north of the country and in Canada.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - Ruby Crowned Kinglet

The Ruby Crowned Kinglets are tiny winter birds of Arkansas, growing to about 4 ¼ inches in height. They are one of the smallest song birds in the country. They are colored a drab, greenish-gray with dark wings. They are also distinguished by the white ring around their eyes. Males of the species have a red crest which is hard to see unless it's raised.

These winter birds of Arkansas have a very loud and variable song. It begins with a high whistle and then picks up speed. These are another of the winter birds of Arkansas that do not breed in the state. The nests are built high in conifer trees and average about eight eggs each.

The male Ruby Crowned Kinglets raise and lower their crests during encounters with other aggressive males. This makes for a beautiful display on the otherwise dully colored bird if you are lucky enough to witness it.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - White-throated Sparrow

The White-throated Sparrows are medium sized winter birds of Arkansas, growing to about 6 ¾ inches in height. The adult has a white eyebrow that becomes yellow near its beak. It has a white throat and a gray breast.

These winter birds of Arkansas have rhythmic song consisting of two whistled notes followed by three to four higher pitched notes. This is another of the winter birds of Arkansas that do not breed in the state but in Canada.

The White-throated Sparrow is an appreciative guest and is known to come back to the same backyard year after year.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - White-crowned Sparrow

The White-crowned Sparrow is one of the larger winter birds of Arkansas, growing to 7 inches in height. It has a black and white striped head, a gray belly and face and tan streaked back with white wing bars.

These winter birds of Arkansas have a varied song beginning with whistles and then buzzes and trills of differing pitch. The nests are built from varying materials including grass, twigs, leaves and bark.

The White-crowned Sparrows are unique winter birds of Arkansas because of their varied songs and song dialects. It has been said that the birds learn these dialects from the older male birds.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - Dark-eyed Junco

The Dark-eyed Junco is another of the medium sized winter birds of Arkansas, growing to 6 ¼ inches in height. The color of these birds varies from brown to dark gray. The belly and underside of the tail are colored white and white tail feathers are clearly spotted while the bird is in flight. These winter birds of Arkansas are also distinguished by their pink bills.

These winter birds of Arkansas have a short trill of a song and the notes of the call can vary. These are another of the winter birds of Arkansas that do not nest or breed here but are commonly found in the state during the winter months.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - Cedar Waxwing

The Cedar Waxwing is one of the larger winter birds of Arkansas, growing to about 7 ¼ inches in height. They have a pronounced yellowish-brown crest with a black mask. The tail and wings of these winter birds of Arkansas are gray with red tips on the wings and a yellow band on the tail.

These winter birds of Arkansas have a very high pitched song combined with slurred whistles. These birds do not nest in Arkansas but are always found here in the winter months.

Cedar Waxwings are unique winter birds of Arkansas because they travel in large flocks. They forage in large groups of other birds including other Cedar Waxwings, robins and mockingbirds.

Winter Birds of Arkansas - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

The Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are very large winter birds of Arkansas, growing to 8 ½ inches in height. They have very pronounced black and white stripes on the face, a red cap and a yellowish belly. The backs of these birds have black and white barring. Males will have red patches on the throat while females will have a completely white throat.

These winter birds of Arkansas have a nasal, whiny song often compared to mewing. They build nests in live trees with soft wood to make finding food easier.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are unique winter birds of Arkansas because of the way they dig for food. They dig in nearly straight rows. If you find straight rows of holes in the bark of a tree, it's likely that a sapsucker was there.