Backyard birds in Overland Park, Kansas
Which birds visit Overland Park yards, when they nest at this latitude, and when to be out for the dawn chorus, all worked out from Overland Park's own coordinates.
- Coordinates
- 38.982°, -94.671°
- Population
- 186,515
- June 21 daylight
- 14 h 54 min
- December 21 daylight
- 9 h 26 min
- Sunrise mid-April / late June
- 6:43 AM / 5:52 AM
- Nesting vs state average
- about the same time as the state-wide average
- Hardiness zones (state)
- USDA 5b–7a
Nesting timing in Overland Park
The state guides give nesting windows for Kansas as a whole, weighted toward where most people live (about 38.4°N). Overland Park is at 39.0°N. Going by Hopkins' bioclimatic law, spring events move about four days per degree of latitude, so breeding here starts about the same time as the state-wide average. Elevation and nearby water also play a part.
Daylight triggers breeding. Overland Park goes from 9 h 26 min of daylight at the winter solstice to 14 h 54 min in June, a 5 h 29 min swing.
- Northern Cardinal — state window April–August
- Eastern Bluebird — state window April–August; box hole 1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)
- Black-capped Chickadee — state window April–July; box hole 1 1/8 in round
- Carolina Chickadee — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/8 in round
- Purple Martin — state window May–July; box hole 1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in)
- Downy Woodpecker — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- Hairy Woodpecker — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/2 in round
- American Goldfinch — state window July–September
- Tufted Titmouse — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- White-breasted Nuthatch — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
Birds you can expect in Overland Park
Year-round residents (27)
Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, Black-capped Chickadees, Carolina Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, American Goldfinchs, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatchs, Blue Jays, House Finchs, Carolina Wrens, Mourning Doves, American Robins, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Pileated Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Eastern Screech-Owls, House Sparrows, European Starlings, Black-billed Magpies, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Eurasian Collared-Doves
Summer breeders (20)
Purple Martins, House Wrens, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Chipping Sparrows, Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Painted Buntings, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Eastern Phoebes, Chimney Swifts, Wood Thrushs, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, Say's Phoebes, Bullock's Orioles
Winter visitors (15)
Purple Finchs, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Red-breasted Nuthatchs, Brown Creepers, Pine Siskins, Cedar Waxwings, Yellow-rumped Warblers, American Tree Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Mountain Bluebirds, White-crowned Sparrows, Fox Sparrows
Cold, dry winters with strong wind; windbreaks and evergreens are prime roost cover.
When to watch: dawn chorus in Overland Park
Songbirds sing hardest in the 30–60 minutes before sunrise, and most of all in spring. In Overland Park, sunrise is around 6:43 AM in mid-April, 5:52 AM at the June solstice and 7:33 AM in late December (local time, America/Chicago). Fill feeders the evening before so the first birds find food.
Native plants for Overland Park yards
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.
Nearby cities in Kansas
- Olathe — 11 mi away, nesting about the same time as Overland Park
- Gardner — 18 mi away, nesting about the same time as Overland Park
- Leavenworth — 26 mi away, nesting about the same time as Overland Park
- Lawrence — 30 mi away, nesting about the same time as Overland Park
- Topeka — 54 mi away, nesting about the same time as Overland Park
- Emporia — 91 mi away, nesting about the same time as Overland Park
Frequently asked
What birds live in Overland Park all year?
Year-round residents across Kansas include Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker. All of them visit backyard feeders in Overland Park.
When do birds start nesting in Overland Park?
Overland Park sits at a different latitude from Kansas's population centre, so nesting runs about the same time as the state-wide average, going by the rule of about 4 days per degree of latitude.
What time does the dawn chorus start in Overland Park?
Songbirds start singing about 30–60 minutes before sunrise. In Overland Park, sunrise is around 6:43 AM in mid-April and 5:52 AM in late June.
Sources
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Kansas
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- GeoNames gazetteer (city coordinates & population)
- NOAA Solar Calculator methodology
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.