Birds Eating the Kernels
of Corn (Zea mays)

Bird Names (Scientific & Common)

Aix sponsa (Wood Duck)

Anas acuta (Northern Pintail)

Anas clypeata (Northern Shoveler)

Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard)

Anas rubripes (Black Duck)

Anas strepera (Gadwall)

Aythya americana (Redhead)

Aythya collaris (Ring-necked Duck)

Branta canadensis (Canada Goose)

Grus canadensis (Sandhill Crane)

Colinus virginianus (Bobwhite Quail)

Meleagris gallopavo (Wild Turkey)

Perdix perdix (Gray Partridge)

Phasianus colchicus (Ring-necked Pheasant)

Tympanuchus cupido (Greater Prairie Chicken)

* Ectopistes migratorius (Passenger Pigeon)

Zenaida macroura (Mourning Dove)

* Conuropsis carolinensis (Carolina Parakeet)

Myiopsitta monachus (Monk Parakeet)

Melanerpes carolinus (Red-bellied Woodpecker)

Melanerpes erythrocephalus
(Red-headed Woodpecker)

** Picoides pubescens (Downy Woodpecker)

Picoides villosus (Hairy Woodpecker)

Corvus brachyrhynchos (American Crow)

Corvus ossifragus (Fish Crow)

Cyanocitta cristata (Blue Jay)

Certhia americana (Brown Creeper)

Sitta carolinensis (White-breasted Nuthatch)

Agelaius phoeniceus (Red-winged Blackbird)

Euphagus carolinus (Rusty Blackbird)

Molothrus ater (Cowbird)

Quiscalus quiscula (Common Grackle)

§ Sturnella magna (Eastern Meadowlark)

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
(Yellow-headed Blackbird)

Sturnus vulgaris (European Starling)

Cardinalis cardinalis (Northern Cardinal)

Passerina caerulea (Blue Grosbeak)

Pheucticus ludovicianus
(Rose-breasted Grosbeak)

Toxostoma rufum (Brown Thrasher)

Eremophila alpestris (Horned Lark)

Baeolophus bicolor (Tufted Titmouse)

Passer domesticus (House Sparrow)

Melospiza lincolnii (Lincoln Sparrow)

§§ Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Eastern Towhee)

Zonotrichia albicollis (White-throated Sparrow)

Zonotrichia querula (Harris Sparrow)

Calcarius lapponicus (Lapland Longspur)

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* extinct bird species
** also feeds on larvae of
Ostrinia nubilalis (European Corn Borer)
§ some observations may refer to the closely related
Sturnella neglecta (Western Meadowlark)
§§ some observations may refer to the closely related
Pipilo maculatus (Spotted Towhee)

Note: Some birds prefer cracked corn kernels,
rather than whole corn kernels.

Sources: Martin et al. (1951/1961),
Devore et al. (2004), Anderson (1959),
Havera (1999), Schorger (1955), Snyder (2004)

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