Birds to See in Idaho in December
100 bird species on our list for Idaho are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Flicker, House Finch, Canada Goose, Mallard and Song Sparrow. New this month: Northern Mockingbird.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecAt their peak
Hooded MerganserBusiest month of the year · Aug–May
Sharp-shinned HawkBusiest month of the year · All year
MerlinBusiest month of the year · Aug–Apr
Cackling GooseBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Nov–Apr
From Idaho’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 100 birds in December
100 birds
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 4.14% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 3.64% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.48% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.39% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.11% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.10% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.96% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.36% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.11% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.56% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Dec
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaResidentCommon9–11 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Dec
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.88% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusResidentCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Dec- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorCommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.47% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Dec- MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.40% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon91–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsResidentCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.32% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentUncommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusResidentUncommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisResidentCommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosResidentUncommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisResidentUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.19% in Dec- Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.19% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorCommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificusResidentUncommon8–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.14% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Dec
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.12% in Dec
Western Screech-owlMegascops kennicottiiResidentUncommon19–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.12% in Dec
Virginia RailRallus limicolaResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataWinter visitorUncommon25–30 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.10% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusResidentUncommon20–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixResidentUncommon28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataSummer visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Northern Pygmy-owlGlaucidium gnomaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorUncommon40–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
ChukarAlectoris chukarResidentUncommon32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Dec- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorRare52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorRare37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaSummer visitorCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentRare43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.02% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentUncommon34–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaPassage migrantUncommon58–74 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorRare15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
White-headed WoodpeckerPicoides albolarvatusResidentRare20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Dec · 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