Birds common to the city, town and countryside provide us with a rich background of melody and songs. Some of these are instantly recognizable to almost everyone, such as the American Robin, Canada Goose, Northern Cardinal, and American Crow. Others are so universally present that we don't hear them consciously any more, such as the House Sparrow, European Starling, and Rock Dove. Still other bird songs are ones we have heard often but have not yet identified...one day, we'll really walk into those backwoods and track down that bird. These might be birds such as the Hermit Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, White-throated Sparrow, Sora, and Barred Owl.
There are 19 birds you can easily hear and identify who are considered Familiar Birds. The following is a list, in American Ornithologists' Union order, of these birds: