Birds to See in Nova Scotia in March
97 bird species on our list for Nova Scotia are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, American Herring Gull, Song Sparrow, Common Starling and Blue Jay. New this month: Common Grackle, Sandhill Crane and Greater White-fronted Goose.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
At their peak
From Nova Scotia’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 97 birds in March
97 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 7.30% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 5.14% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.80% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.95% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.60% in Mar
American Black DuckAnas rubripesResidentCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 3.22% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.10% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.10% in Mar
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in Mar
American RobinTurdus migratoriusSummer visitorCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Mar
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.10% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.07% in Mar
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.02% in Mar
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 2.01% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.84% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.71% in Mar
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.46% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Mar
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.42% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Mar
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorCommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–May · 1.31% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Mar
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.24% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.98% in Mar
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorCommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.69% in Mar
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Mar
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.56% in Mar
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentUncommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Mar
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Mar
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorUncommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.32% in Mar
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.28% in Mar
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.25% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.21% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Mar
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.18% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentUncommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.17% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Mar
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Mar
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorUncommon38–44 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.14% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.14% in Mar
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentCommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.13% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Mar
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Mar
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Mar
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.12% in Mar
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.12% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.11% in Mar
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Mar
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.09% in Mar
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentUncommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorUncommon40–47 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.06% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorRare69–84 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Mar
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.05% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentRare13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Common GullLarus canusWinter visitorUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Mar
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentUncommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorUncommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaResidentUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantRare64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaResidentUncommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorRare80–122 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.01% in Mar
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisResidentRare10–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.01% in Mar
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorRare60–75 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
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