Rare Birds in District of Columbia
Our list for District of Columbia has 24 rare birds recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 2 winter visitors, 11 passage migrants and 6 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in District of Columbia in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 24, most common first
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantRare48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantRare23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaPassage migrantRare10–15 cmRegularly May–Sep
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusScarceRare15–17 cm
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Aug
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorRare120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaScarceRare40–50 cm
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaResidentRare43–51 cmRegularly Jul–Aug
DickcisselSpiza americanaPassage migrantRare14–16 cmRegularly May–Oct
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaScarceRare24–28 cmRegularly Sep
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaResidentRare27–30 cmRegularly May
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorRare46–63 cmRegularly Aug–May
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct
Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmusPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumPassage migrantRare13–17 cmRegularly May
Black TernChlidonias nigerPassage migrantRare22–26 cmRegularly May–Sep
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly May
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioResidentRare16–25 cmRegularly Mar–Sep
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentRare46–56 cmRegularly Jul
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantRare31–35 cmRegularly May–Sep
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentRare48–66 cmRegularly Apr–May
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaScarceRare16–22 cm
Virginia RailRallus limicolaScarceRare20–27 cm
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Mourning Warbler 10–15 cm
- Clay-colored Sparrow 13–15 cm
- Dickcissel 14–16 cm
- Alder Flycatcher 13–17 cm
- Lark Sparrow 15–17 cm
- Semipalmated Sandpiper 15–18 cm
- Dunlin 16–22 cm
- Evening Grosbeak 16–22 cm
- Budgerigar 18–20 cm
- Eastern Screech-owl 16–25 cm
- Virginia Rail 20–27 cm
- Black Tern 22–26 cm
- Lesser Yellowlegs 23–27 cm
- American Golden-Plover 24–28 cm
- Grey Plover 27–30 cm
- Black-billed Cuckoo 28–32 cm
- Common Tern 31–35 cm
- Red-necked Grebe 40–50 cm
- American Avocet 43–51 cm
- Cattle Egret 46–56 cm
- Surf Scoter 48–60 cm
- Great Horned Owl 46–63 cm
- Glossy Ibis 48–66 cm
- Tundra Swan 120–150 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
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