Birds to See in Newfoundland and Labrador in December
84 bird species on our list for Newfoundland and Labrador are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, American Herring Gull, Blue Jay, Iceland Gull and American Black Duck. New this month: Swamp Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Greylag Goose and Short-eared Owl and 2 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Newfoundland and Labrador’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 84 birds in December
84 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 8.67% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 5.61% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.83% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorCommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–May · 3.55% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesResidentCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 3.44% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 3.38% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.11% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 2.06% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 1.62% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.59% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorCommon39–56 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in Dec
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 1.28% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaResidentCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.88% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraWinter visitorCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.76% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorCommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.72% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusSummer visitorCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaResidentCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorCommon62–68 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.52% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusResidentCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisSummer visitorCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec
Little AukAlle alleWinter visitorCommon18–21 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.35% in Dec
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.35% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorCommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.33% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.31% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.28% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.28% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.22% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.20% in Dec
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.15% in Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusResidentUncommon60–75 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaWinter visitorUncommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisWinter visitorUncommon21–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.14% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorCommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusSummer visitorUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Jun–Jan · 0.10% in Dec
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorCommon38–43 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.10% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.09% in Dec
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.09% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.08% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserPassage migrantUncommon75–90 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.08% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorUncommon17–23 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.07% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Dec
DickcisselSpiza americanaPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Dec · 0.06% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.05% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.04% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
King EiderSomateria spectabilisWinter visitorUncommon46–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisPassage migrantUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Dec
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusResidentRare46–59 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Turkey VultureCathartes auraPassage migrantRare62–81 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusSummer visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.01% in Dec
Rock PtarmiganLagopus mutaResidentRare34–36 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made