Birds to See in District of Columbia in November
82 bird species on our list for District of Columbia are recorded regularly in November
Of these, the most often recorded are American Robin, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Common Starling and Song Sparrow. New this month: Great Black-backed Gull, Common Merganser, Fox Sparrow and Cackling Goose and 6 more.
On the move in November
GBIF · NovArriving
At their peak
Red-tailed HawkBusiest month of the year · All year
Swamp SparrowBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
American Black DuckBusiest month of the year · Jul–Apr
GadwallBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Peregrine FalconBusiest month of the year · All year
Sharp-shinned HawkBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
From District of Columbia’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 82 birds in November
82 birds
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 3.78% in Nov
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.75% in Nov
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.58% in Nov
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.51% in Nov
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Nov
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in Nov
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.74% in Nov
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.70% in Nov
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.58% in Nov
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.55% in Nov
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Nov
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 2.50% in Nov
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.41% in Nov
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.36% in Nov
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Nov
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.90% in Nov
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in Nov
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.49% in Nov
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusResidentCommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in Nov
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Nov
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Nov
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Nov
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Nov- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Nov
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Nov
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.02% in Nov- Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.01% in Nov
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Nov
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.91% in Nov
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.87% in Nov
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Nov
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Nov
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Nov
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.71% in Nov
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Nov
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Nov
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Nov
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorCommon64–79 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.45% in Nov
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.43% in Nov
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorCommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.42% in Nov
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.42% in Nov- American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.40% in Nov
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Nov
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.35% in Nov- GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.28% in Nov
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Nov
- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.27% in Nov
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.27% in Nov
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisSummer visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.25% in Nov
Great White EgretArdea albaPassage migrantCommon80–104 cmRegularly Jun–Nov · 0.24% in Nov
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.22% in Nov
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.21% in Nov
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.21% in Nov
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorUncommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Nov
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Nov
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Nov
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusPassage migrantUncommon58–85 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Nov
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.09% in Nov
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Nov
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Nov
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Nov
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Nov
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysPassage migrantUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.06% in Nov
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Nov
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.05% in Nov
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.05% in Nov
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Nov
Northern PintailAnas acutaPassage migrantUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Nov
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in Nov
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorRare120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Nov
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Nov
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.04% in Nov
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Nov
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Nov
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorRare46–63 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.03% in Nov
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Nov
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.02% in Nov
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.02% in Nov
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusPassage migrantUncommon13–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Nov
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantRare23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in Nov
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.01% in Nov
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in Nov
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