When you want to attract a particular bird species and keep it coming
back to your backyard, what you do will be determined by where you
live, and the time of year. For example, on any winter day, you are
likely to see a cardinal at a sunflower feeder in Virginia, a
goldfinch at a thistle feeder in Massachusetts and hummingbirds at a
nectar feeder in southern California.
A bird field identification book has pictures of different birds and
will help you find the names for the birds you’re likely to see and
the time of year you’re most likely to see them. So, first determine
what birds are likely to occur in your area.