Birds to See in Quebec in December
103 bird species on our list for Quebec are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch and Hairy Woodpecker. New this month: Boreal Owl, Grey Partridge, Greylag Goose and Red-legged Partridge.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Quebec’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 103 birds in December
103 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 6.33% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.79% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.56% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.25% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.63% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.29% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.23% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.17% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.15% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.83% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaWinter visitorCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.01% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusWinter visitorCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.25% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.04% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisSummer visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.99% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.72% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoWinter visitorCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorCommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.61% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.50% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.40% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.37% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensSummer visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.34% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.32% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorCommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.32% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Dec
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaSummer visitorCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.24% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.24% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.20% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusSummer visitorCommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.15% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaWinter visitorUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.12% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.09% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaSummer visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaSummer visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataSummer visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.06% in Dec
Long-eared OwlAsio otusWinter visitorUncommon35–40 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.06% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.05% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataSummer visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.05% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorUncommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.04% in Dec
Boreal OwlAegolius funereusWinter visitorUncommon21–28 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Dec
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.04% in Dec
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Jan · 0.03% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentRare80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
RazorbillAlca tordaSummer visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaSummer visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
King EiderSomateria spectabilisResidentRare46–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.02% in Dec
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisWinter visitorRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusSummer visitorRare120–150 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.01% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusSummer visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantRare60–75 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Little AukAlle allePassage migrantRare18–21 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataPassage migrantUncommon11–14 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
DickcisselSpiza americanaPassage migrantRare14–16 cmRegularly Aug–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiPassage migrantUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.00% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusSummer visitorRare38–44 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.00% in Dec
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorRare45–50 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Common GullLarus canusPassage migrantRare40–46 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaPassage migrantRare32–34 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.00% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserPassage migrantRare75–90 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% 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