In this article I’ll be going over 13 red birds that can be found all throughout the state so, continue reading if you’re seeking a more detailed look ofeach bird below:

• Northern Cardinal
• Scarlet Tanager
• Summer Tanager
• House Finch
• Red Headed Woodpecker
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• White Winged Crossbill
• Common Redpoll
• Northern Flicker
• Red Winged Blackbird
• Downy Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird

13 Red Birds In West Virginia

1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis)

• Size: 21 – 23cm
• Weight: 42 – 48 grams
• Wingspan: 30 – 35cm

You’ll find northern cardinals all throughout West Virginia year round.

Northern cardinals are recognised by their mohawk-like head feathers, red exterior and beak with elements of black across the face. Females also have elements of red on their beaks and their body but, in smaller amounts, with the majority of their plumage a light brown color.

These cardinals can be found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, wetlands and backyards if the sugar water or seeds in the feeders satisfy their taste buds.

As for the food they eat, it consists of small insects like beetles, true bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, flies, spiders, centipedes, and snails. Seeds of weeds, berries among other smaller fruits are part of their diet too.

Northern cardinals are known to live for around 15 years in the wild although the actual number probably a lot less.

2. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga Olivacea)

• Size: 16 – 19cm
• Weight: 27 – 32 grams
• Wingspan: 25 – 30cm

You’ll find scarlet tanagers all throughout West Virginia in their spring and summer breeding months.

Scarlet tanagers are recognised by their scarlet plumage, black wing and triangular silver/gray beak. Females are actually different in color to their male counterparts where their plumage is green with black wings.

These tanagers can be found within deciduous forest where oak maple, beech, and other trees are common. They also stay within mixed pine-oak woods, and occasionally in coniferous woods dominated by pine or hemlock.

As for what scarlet tanagers eat, it mostly consists of insects like caterpillars, moths, beetles, wasps, bees, aphids, berries and small fruits.

Scarlet tanagers can live up to 12 years in the wild although the actual lifespan for most scarlets will likely be far lower.

3. Summer Tanager (Piranga Rubra)

• Size: 15 – 18cm
• Weight: 27 – 31 grams
• Wingspan: 28 – 30cm

Summer tanagers can be found all throughout West Virginia in their spring and summer breeding season. 

Male summer tanagers are recognised by their almost entirely red plumage with a grayish/silver beak. Females on the other hand are almost entirely yellow.

Summer tanagers are usually found within tropical forests of tall trees with an open canopy and mostly prefer to stay in lower elevations. They can reside within habitats that are 1800 meters above sea level too.

These tanagers mostly eat small insects like bees and wasps but, will also consume berries and smaller fruits foraged from  backyards, parks among other environments rich with these food sources.

On average summer tanagers are known to live for around 5 years in the wild.

4. House Finch (Haemorhous Mexicanus)

• Size: 12.5 – 15cm
• Weight: 19 – 22 grams
• Wingspan: 20 – 25cm

House finches are year round residents across all of North Carolina.

A House finch can be recognised by its red and brown plumage with their body mostly light brown and the head made up of a gradient red color with hints of brown. Females on the other hand are mostly brown with hints of black on their wings and back.

As for where you can find house finches, the number of habitats they stay within are quite vast ranging from dry desert, desert grassland, chaparral, oak savannah, streamsides, and open coniferous forests at elevations below 6,000 feet. 

If the food is to their liking, like black sunflower seeds, these little birds will on occasion make their way to a feeder set out by a citizen. Other than seeds house finches also eat small insects like aphids as well as fruits and berries.

In the wild, house finches are known to live for around 10 years whilst captive finches can live upwards of 12 years.

5. Red Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus)

• Size: 19 – 25cm
• Weight: 56 – 97 grams
• Wingspan: 40 – 45cm

You’ll find red headed woodpeckers within West Virginia on a permanent basis.

Red headed woodpeckers are recognised by their red head and their black and white body and wings.

These woodpeckers tend to spend the majority of their time in groves, farm country, orchards, shade trees in towns, large scattered trees where you can find them in forest edges, orchards, open pine woods and the groves of taller trees.

A red headed woodpeckers diet consists of a wide variety of insects which includes spiders, earthworms, different types of nuts, seeds, berries along with other fruits. Sometimes these peckers may even eat small rodents or the contents of another birds eggs.

As for their lifespan, red headed woodpeckers have been known to live up to 10 years in the wild.

6. Red Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes Erythrocephalus)

• Size: 22.8 – 26.7cm
• Weight: 56 – 97 grams
• Wingspan: 38 – 46cm

Red bellied woodpeckers can be found all across West Virginia on a year round basis. 

Most would recognise a red bellied woodpecker by the helmet like red streak on their head, their white chest feathers and striped zebra like pattern on their back and wings. Being a woodpecker also means their bills are relatively long and pointy. Females are very similar to males besides the lack of  a red streak on their head

Red bellied woodpeckers tend to enjoy consuming suet, especially nut, insect, or fruit blends as well as fruits like oranges, grapes, apples, sunflower seeds and other smaller insects.

As for where they spend the majority of  their time, it would be around woodlands and forests, from old oak trees to the lesser aged hardwoods and pines. They can also congregate around feeders within the backyard of Missouri citizens. 

Red bellied woodpeckers are capable of living for around 12 years in the wild.

7. White Winged Crossbill (Loxia Leucoptera)

• Size: 15 – 17cm
• Weight: 24 – 30 grams
• Wingspan: 26 – 28cm

White winged crossbills can be found in all of West Virginia throughout their non-breeding months.

These white winged crossbill (also called two barred crossbills) are recognised by their red plumage across the head and body, black wings with white stripes and their downward pointing bill that crosses over itself. On the other hand females are mostly gray and green in color.

These crossbills can be found living in montane coniferous forests among boreal trees with mature spruce and larch. As for what the two barred crossbill eat, it includes pine cones, grass, docks, thrift seeds as well as smaller insects like caterpillars, aphids, spiders etc.

White winged crossbills are also known to live for around 4 years in the wild although the numbers may differ for captive ones.

8. Common Redpool (Acanthis)

• Size: 12 – 14cm
• Weight: 11 – 20 grams
• Wingspan: 19 – 22cm

Common redpolls can be found all across West Virginia in their fall and winter non-breeding months.

These common redpolls are recognised by their red, white and brown plumage with their forehead and breast mixed with red and white, with the wings a combination of a brown and white color. Females also have a little spot on their forehead but, the remainder of their body is a brown and white color.

You’ll find a common redpoll located around boreal forests of pines, spruces and larches.

As for what these birds eat, it includes seeds from birch, alder and spruce along with a bunch of small insects like caterpillars, beetles, flies etc.

The longest lifespan that was recorded for a redpoll happened to be around 7 years and 10 months but, the majority of redpolls will live a good bit shorter, between the 4 – 5 year range.

9. Northern Flicker (Colaptes Auratus)

• Size: 30 – 35cm
• Weight: 115 – 125 grams
• Wingspan: 50 – 55cm

These northern flickers can be found all across West Virginia on a year round basis. 

Northern flickers are recognised by their mostly cream colored body with black spots, orange and black tail feathers and elements of red on the lower part of their face. Females look very similar to the males minus the red elements on their face.

You’ll often find northern flickers around woodlands, forest edges, and open fields with scattered trees, as well as city parks and suburbs. 

As for what they tend to eat, it includes mostly insects along with smaller fruits and berries.

Northern flickers are known to live for around 5 – 7 years on average with the longest recorded to be 9 years and 2 months.

10. Red Winged Blackbird (Agelaius Phoeniceus)

• Size: 17 – 24cm
• Weight: 70 – 85 grams
• Wingspan: 31 – 40cm

Red winged blackbirds can be found in all of West Virginia on a year round basis.

Red winged blackbirds are mostly black but, like the red bellied woodpecker above they do have elements of red on them, which in this case is specifically on their wings.

Females are smaller and look very different from the males and don’t have the defining red patch on their wing. Instead their plumage is mostly a spotty gray/black and white pattern.

These blackbirds can be found in and around freshwater marshes, in wooded or brushy swamps, rank weedy fields, hayfields and the upper edges of salt marshes.

Red winged blackbirds tend to forage for their food, where they may do so around open fields and mudflats. As for what foods they eat, it consist mostly of seeds but smaller insects like flies, snails, bigger prey like lizards, crayfish and fruits are part of their diet too.

They tend to live for around 2 – 3 years in the wild although captive ones have been known to live in the 20 year range.

11. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides Pubescent)

• Size: 14 – 18cm
• Weight: 20 – 33 grams
• Wingspan: 25 – 31cm

You’ll find downy woodpeckers all throughout West Virginia on a year round basis.

Downy woodpeckers are mostly white and black with the breast white in color and their back and wings a mixture of black and white. The main separation between male and females is that the males have a red spot at the top of their head whilst the females are just white and black.

These woodpeckers spend the majority of their time within forests, woodlots, willows, river groves, orchards and shade trees. 

When in these habitats downy woodpeckers will mostly consume black oil sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts, and chunky peanut butter found within feeders and in occasion even consume sugar water from the feeders designed for hummingbirds.

Downy woodpeckers tend to live for around 2 years on average whilst 5 years is on the upper end of their life.

12. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus Pileatus)

• Size: 40 – 49cm
• Weight: 250 – 400 grams
• Wingspan: 75 – 85cm

Pileated woodpeckers can be found in West Virginia on a year round basis.

These woodpeckers are recognised by their mohawk like feathers on the top of their head with the remainder of the body black with a white striped pattern along both sides of the head.  The difference between a male and female pileated woodpecker is that males have a red moustache and head feathers whilst females only have red head feathers.

As for where you can find these birds, they’ll congregate around standing dead trees and downed wood. The forests they stay in can be evergreen, deciduous, or mixed whilst often being old. The occasional one can be spotted in backyards and the suburbs too.

Pileated woodpeckers tend to mostly consume carpenter ants along with other ants, woodboring beetle larvae, termites, flies, spruce budworm, caterpillars, cockroaches, and grasshoppers. They will also eat the suet from feeders in backyards.

The oldest recorded lifespan was said to be around 12 years and 11 months although the average lifespan is likely a good deal less.

13. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus Colubris)

• Size: 7 – 9cm
• Weight: 2 – 6 grams
• Wingspan: 8 – 11cm

Ruby throated hummingbirds can be found all across West Virginia when they breed.

A ruby throated hummingbird can be recognised by their plumage that is red, white and green. Their throat is the red part, its breast/stomach white in color and their wings and back an emerald green color. Females are mostly white and green in color.

As for what they eat, it ranges from small insects, fruits, sugar water from feeders, tree sap and of course the nectar produced by blooming flowers.

Ruby throated hummingbirds tend to stay near environments with flowerbeds as these birds have a very strong metabolism that requires them to feed multiple times per hour. Therefore, you can find them in fields, parks, backyards, and open clearings in forests.

As for how long these tiny little hummingbirds can live for, it’s known to be around 3 – 5 years on average with the longest recorded lifespan just short of 7 years.