14 BROWN Birds Common in Alabama! (2025)
Did you recently see a mystery BROWN bird in Alabama?
If so, I’m guessing you are trying to figure out how to identify the species correctly!
Well, you are in the right place. Below, you will learn about the most common brown birds found in Alabama. I’ve included high-quality pictures and range maps to help you!
But before you begin, let me give you one warning:
Trying to figure out which brown bird you saw can be difficult. First, brown is the most common color for birds because it helps them with camouflage. Second, many brown birds have few defining characteristics that make them easy to identify. Especially when you see the individual from a distance, it just looks like a “little brown bird.”
The list below focuses on COMMON brown birds that visit bird feeders in Alabama. I did not include any birds of prey or water birds. If you need help with either of these types of birds, then check out the following articles:
#1. Red-winged Blackbird (female)
- Agelaius phoeniceus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Males are all black, except for a bright red and yellow patch on their shoulders.
- Females are brown and heavily streaked. There is a bit of yellow around their beak.
- Both sexes have a conical beak and are commonly seen sitting on cattails or perched high in a tree overlooking their territory.
While male Red-winged Blackbirds are easy to identify, females can be challenging. What helps me is their slightly larger size and streaks, which set them apart from other smaller brown birds in Alabama.
Red-winged Blackbirds are almost exclusively found in marshes and other wet areas during the breeding season. However, when it’s the nonbreeding season, these birds spend much of their time in grasslands, farm fields, and pastures looking for weedy seeds to eat. It’s common to find them in large flocks that feature other blackbird species, such as grackles, cowbirds, and starlings.
- RELATED: 9 LIVE Bird Feeder Cams From Around the World [Including MINE!]
Red-winged Blackbird Range Map
It’s possible to see these blackbirds at your feeders! To attract them, try offering a combination of millet, cracked corn, and sunflower seeds.

WATCH a male and female Red-winged Blackbird on my feeders above!
If you visit a wetland or marsh in spring, you are almost guaranteed to hear males singing and displaying, trying to attract a mate. Listen for a rich, musical song, which lasts about one second and sounds like “conk-la-ree!“ And at any time of year, you can hear males or females make a “check” call. This sound is used for many purposes, such as flying, feeding, or defending their territory.
#2. Brown-headed Cowbird (female)
- Molothrus ater
- Look for a stocky, chunky bird with a thick, conical beak.
- Males have black bodies with a brown head (hence the name). In poor light, it can be hard to tell that the head is brown.
- Females are a plain brown color. There is slight streaking on the belly and a black eye.
Female cowbirds are one of the hardest brown birds to identify in Alabama!
Maybe it’s just me, but lady Brown-headed Cowbirds always trip me up. I think it’s the fact that there just aren’t any features that stand out.
Brown-headed Cowbird Range Map
Look for Brown-headed Cowbirds in grasslands, brushy thickets, prairies, and woodland edges. But they have greatly expanded their range due to human development, and they have adapted well to residential areas, pastures, orchards, and cemeteries. I see them in my suburban backyard quite often!

#3. House Finch
- Haemorhous mexicanus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Males are rosy red around their heads and upper breasts. They have brown streaks on their back, tail, and belly.
- Females are brown birds with streaks on their back, tail, and belly.
- Both sexes have notched tails and conical beaks.
It’s common to see these brown birds in Alabama near people.
Look for House Finches around buildings, backyards, parks, and other urban and suburban areas.
House Finch Range Map
In fact, House Finches are often the first birds to discover new bird feeders. These birds are intensely curious and rarely travel alone, so their arrival often helps other birds find your feeders! I see them mostly eating sunflower and safflower seeds in my yard.
If you saw an unknown small brown bird at your feeders, there is a great chance that it was a House Finch!
#4. House Sparrow
- Passer domesticus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Males have gray crowns, black bibs, white cheeks, and chestnut on the sides of their faces and neck. Their backs are predominantly brown with black streaks.
- Females are dull brown birds with streaks of black on their backs. Their underparts are light brown. They can be distinguished by the tan line that extends behind their eyes.
House Sparrows are an invasive species (originally from the Middle East) and now one of the most abundant and widespread brown birds in Alabama (and the world)!
In most urban and suburban areas, it’s INCREDIBLY COMMON to see House Sparrows. They owe their success to their ability to adapt and live near humans. Unlike most other birds, they love grains and are commonly seen eating bread and popcorn at amusement parks, sporting events, etc. They especially love eating cracked corn, millet, and milo at your bird feeders.
Range Map – House Sparrow
House Sparrows can be heard across the entire planet. In fact, pay attention the next time you’re watching the news in another country. Listen for a simple song that includes lots of “cheep” notes.

#5. Song Sparrow
- Melospiza melodia
Identifying Characteristics:
- The chest has brown streaks that converge onto a central breast spot.
- On their head, look for a brown crown with a gray stripe down the middle. Gray eyebrows and gray cheeks.
- The back and body are mostly rust-brown with gray streaks throughout.
These brown birds are common in Alabama, especially in wet & shrubby open areas.
Song Sparrow Range Map
But sparrows, in general, are difficult to identify due to their abundance and how similar they all tend to look. Until you take a closer look, they all appear “small and brown.”
The easiest way to confirm you have seen a Song Sparrow is to listen for their beautiful songs. The typical one, which you can listen to below, consists of three short notes followed by a pretty trill. The song varies depending on location and the individual bird.

#6. White-crowned Sparrow
- Zonotrichia leucophrys
Identifying Characteristics:
- Both sexes can be grayish or brownish with a long tail.
- On their head, they can have black and white stripes or brown and tan. The head is peaked on the crown.
- Beaks are orangish-yellow or pinkish.
As the name suggests, these birds are not entirely brown. The top of their head has distinctive black and white stripes!
Look for White-crowned Sparrows in shrubbery habitats with open grassy areas in the breeding season. In winter, they prefer weedy fields, thickets, and backyards.
White-crowned Sparrow Range Map
If you want to attract these brown birds to your backyard in Alabama, use sunflower seeds, cracked corn, or millet. Just make sure the food is placed on the ground, as they won’t fly up to feeders. In addition, having a brush pile will entice them to stay because it offers safety.
White-crowned Sparrows are known for their long migration journeys. This sparrow has been known to travel over 300 miles (483 km) in one night.
#7. White-throated Sparrow
- Zonotrichia albicollis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Both sexes’ colors can vary; some can be more grayish or brownish on their chunky bodies.
- The Head is typically black and white striped with a yellow spot between the eyes.
- White throat patch, gray face, and small beak.
Look for White-throated Sparrows in the woods on the forest edge. They enjoy scratching at the ground under leaves or picking leaves up and moving them out of the way with their beak.
As you can see by the pictures above, their name perfectly describes their appearance. They are probably the only little brown bird in Alabama with a bright white patch on their throats!
White-throated Sparrow Range Map
This species readily visits bird feeders, especially in winter. Feed them sunflower seeds or cracked corn and make sure some of the food ends up on the ground, as they won’t fly up to feeders. Luckily, I see these birds often at my feeding station! And having a place for them to hide and find shelter will entice them to stay.
#8. Chipping Sparrow
- Spizella passerina
Identifying characteristics:
- Brown-streaked back and wings.
- Rusty crown, grayish belly, and a black-streaked eyeline.
- Both sexes are slim with a long tail and medium-sized beak.
These small brownish birds are common across Alabama.
Luckily, they’re easy to identify, thanks to their rust-colored crown. You’ll often see them at backyard feeding stations, eating sunflower seeds and other small seeds on the ground.
Chipping Sparrow Range Map
Look for them in the woods by grassy meadows. These sparrows are also common in suburban areas!
Chipping Sparrows have loud, trilling songs among the most common sounds of spring woodlands and suburbs. Their songs are long trill notes that they repeat, almost sounding mechanical. Listen below!

#9. House Wren
- Troglogytes aedon
These small, brown birds are common in Alabama.
They have a short tail, thin beak, and dark barring on their wings and tail. Both males and females look the same.
Even though they rarely visit bird feeders, they are often seen zipping through backyards while hunting insects. A great way to draw these wrens to your yard is to create brush piles, which offer cover for them and places for insects to gather.
House Wren Range Map
To attract House Wrens to your backyard, try hanging a nest box, as these birds will readily use them to raise their young. Please pay attention to the entrance hole’s diameter and try not to make it any larger than 1 inch in diameter. By keeping the hole small, other birds can’t get inside to disturb the wren’s nest and babies. Interestingly, House Wrens are one of the only birds that will use a nest box that hangs freely and is not permanently attached to a tree or post.
One of the best ways to locate a House Wren is to listen for their distinctive song. The best way to describe it is a beautiful, energetic flutelike melody, consisting of rapid squeaky chatters and rattles.

Press PLAY above to hear a House Wren!
#10. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female)
- Pheucticus ludovicianus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Stocky birds with a large, triangular beak. About the size of an American Robin.
- Males have black backs and wings, with a distinctive red mark on their white breast.
- Females are brown and heavily streaked with white eyebrows and a pale beak.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are common visitors to feeders!
These birds get their name from the males, as they have a patch of bright red plumage topping their white breasts. On the other hand, females can be difficult to identify, as they are brownish and look similar to many other birds. Many people get female Red-winged Blackbirds and female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks confused!
At your feeders, you can watch these birds use their powerful triangular beaks to crack open sunflower seeds. I’ve never seen one of these grosbeaks use a tube feeder, as I don’t think the perches provide enough space. So instead, the best feeders to attract them are hoppers, platforms, or trays.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Range Map
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are known for their beautiful song. It sounds similar to an American Robin but better! Listen for a long series of notes that rise and fall. If you hear one, look for the male singing from an elevated perch. Listen to their song HERE!
#11. Carolina Wren
- Thryothorus ludovicianus
This wren species is a colorful reddish-brown with a distinct white throat and eye line. The edges of their wings and tails are darkly barred, and the beak is long and thin. Both males and females appear similar.
Even though these brown birds are common in Alabama, they are secretive and can be hard to see. Look for them in shrubby and bushy areas that provide lots of hiding places.
Carolina Wren Range Map
One of the BEST ways to observe Carolina Wrens is by attracting them to your feeders. Look for them eating at your feeders in the cold winter months. I see them feasting on suet the most, but they also eat peanuts, shelled sunflower seeds, and mealworms. Carolina Wrens rarely visit bird feeders during the summer since there are plenty of insects around for them to eat.

Watch a Carolina Wren eating in my yard!
#12. Northern Cardinal (female)
- Cardinalis cardinalis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Males are a stunning red with a black mask and throat.
- Females are pale orangish-brown with red on their crest, wings, and tail.
- Both sexes have a crest on their head and a short, thick beak perfect for cracking seeds.
Without a doubt, the Northern Cardinal is one of the most popular feeder birds. They are not only gorgeous, but they are common to see at bird feeders!
But while most people can easily recognize the bright red plumage of the males, not as many know that females look different. Female cardinals are brown with a tint of orange, and I think they are incredibly beautiful.
Northern Cardinal Range Map
In this video, you can see both male and female cardinals. If you look closely, you can even see a juvenile!

#13. Brown Thrasher
- Toxostoma rufum
Identifying Characteristics:
- Yellow eyes.
- Long tail, long legs, and a long, curved beak.
- Reddish-brown on their backs. White chest with dark streaks.
Brown Thrashers are larger than other brown songbirds in Alabama.
They tend to be secretive, and the best places to look for them are near thick brush and shrubbery. However, Brown Thrashers are also commonly seen on the ground spreading around leaf litter, looking for bugs to eat.
Brown Thrasher Range Map
Honestly, the easiest way to find one of these brown birds is to listen! Brown Thrashers are incredible vocalists that sing over 1,000 songs. They are also excellent at imitating other birds, including Northern Cardinals and Northern Flickers!
And be careful if you get close to one of their nests. Brown Thrashers defend their babies aggressively and are known to strike humans hard enough to draw blood. 🙂
#14. Brown-headed Nuthatch
- Sitta pusilla
As the name suggests, Brown-headed Nuthatches have a distinctive brown cap on their head. Also, look for a chisel-like beak, blue-gray upperparts, brownish wings, and white underparts. Both males and females look the same!
You will find these tiny brown birds in Alabama living in pine forests. The best habitat has an open understory with mature Loblolly, Shortleaf, Longleaf, and Slash pine trees.
Brown-headed Nuthatch Range Map
Interestingly, Brown-headed Nuthatches are one of the few birds that use tools! They sometimes use small pieces of bark to scrape away flakes of bark still attached to the tree, which reveals insects hidden below.
These brown birds sound like rubber duckies! (Press PLAY below)
Listen for 2-syllable squeaks, which have been compared to a toy rubber ducky being squeezed. These sounds can be repeated up to 12 times and are heard year-round!
Which of these brown birds have you seen in Alabama?
Leave a COMMENT below! Make sure to mention where the brown bird was seen. 🙂