Birds to See in Ontario in January
108 bird species on our list for Ontario are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch. New this month: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Mountain Bluebird.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
American Tree SparrowBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
GoldeneyeBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Red-tailed HawkBusiest month of the year · All year
Common MerganserBusiest month of the year · All year
Bald EagleBusiest month of the year · All year
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
From Ontario’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 108 birds in January
108 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 4.23% in Jan
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.16% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.04% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.03% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.54% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.40% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.16% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.08% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.50% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.29% in Jan- American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.29% in Jan
- GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.12% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.02% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in Jan- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.77% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Jan- Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.14% in Jan- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Jan
- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.07% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.90% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorCommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.76% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorCommon64–79 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.66% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Jan
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.51% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.42% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.35% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.32% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.22% in Jan
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.19% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusResidentCommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentUncommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.14% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.12% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.12% in Jan
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaSummer visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.12% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.09% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.09% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.08% in Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisResidentUncommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.08% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Jan
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.06% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Long-eared OwlAsio otusWinter visitorRare35–40 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.05% in Jan
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorUncommon40–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.04% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorUncommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.03% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
King EiderSomateria spectabilisWinter visitorRare46–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.02% in Jan
Little GullHydrocoloeus minutusResidentRare25–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataSummer visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Jan
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorRare28–32 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusResidentRare36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisWinter visitorRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorRare37–41 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Jan
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorRare20–26 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Jan
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaPassage migrantRare58–74 cmRegularly Jun–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Boreal OwlAegolius funereusWinter visitorRare21–28 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.01% in Jan
DickcisselSpiza americanaSummer visitorRare14–16 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.00% in Jan
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorRare16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.00% in Jan
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