Birds to See in Idaho in October
130 bird species on our list for Idaho are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Flicker, Mallard, House Finch, Canada Goose and American Robin. New this month: Goldeneye, Snow Goose, Rough-legged Hawk and Tundra Swan and 14 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
At their peak
White-crowned SparrowBusiest month of the year · All year
Black-necked GrebeBusiest month of the year · All year
Horned GrebeBusiest month of the year · Sep–May
Common LoonBusiest month of the year · All year
Long-billed DowitcherBusiest month of the year · Mar–May
Blue JayBusiest month of the year · Aug–May
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 130 birds in October
130 birds
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 3.85% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Oct
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.86% in Oct
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.58% in Oct
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.55% in Oct
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in Oct- White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in Oct
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.38% in Oct
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.38% in Oct
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Oct
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaResidentCommon9–11 cmRecorded all year · 1.74% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Oct
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Oct
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in Oct
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Oct
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in Oct
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Oct
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusResidentCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.14% in Oct
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Oct
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Oct
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Oct
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsResidentCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Oct
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisResidentCommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Oct
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Oct
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Oct- Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Oct
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Oct
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Oct
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorCommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Oct
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Oct
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorCommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Oct
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentUncommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Oct- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.41% in Oct
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Oct- Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Oct
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon91–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Oct
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Oct
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Oct- Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.31% in Oct
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.28% in Oct
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Oct
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.27% in Oct
Great White EgretArdea albaSummer visitorCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Oct
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.27% in Oct
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Oct
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.25% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.24% in Oct
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.24% in Oct
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Oct
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.22% in Oct
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisResidentUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Oct- Blue JayCyanocitta cristataWinter visitorUncommon25–30 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.21% in Oct
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosResidentUncommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Oct
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Oct
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataSummer visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaSummer visitorUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.19% in Oct
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Oct
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusResidentUncommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Oct
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Oct
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.18% in Oct
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.15% in Oct
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.15% in Oct
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Oct
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorUncommon40–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Oct
Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificusResidentUncommon8–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixResidentUncommon28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.11% in Oct
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Oct
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
ChukarAlectoris chukarResidentUncommon32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaSummer visitorCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Oct
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.09% in Oct
Virginia RailRallus limicolaResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in Oct
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.08% in Oct
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in Oct
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in Oct
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantCommon64–81 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Oct
Northern Pygmy-owlGlaucidium gnomaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Oct
Western Screech-owlMegascops kennicottiiResidentUncommon19–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 0.05% in Oct
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaSummer visitorUncommon43–51 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaPassage migrantUncommon58–74 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.04% in Oct
Red-naped SapsuckerSphyrapicus nuchalisSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanSummer visitorUncommon32–36 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.04% in Oct
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusResidentUncommon20–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.03% in Oct
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Oct
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Oct
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentRare43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusPassage migrantUncommon34–44 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaSummer visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.02% in Oct
Flammulated OwlPsiloscops flammeolusSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Sabine's GullXema sabiniPassage migrantUncommon27–33 cmRegularly Sep–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.02% in Oct
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.02% in Oct
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaPassage migrantRare24–28 cmRegularly Sep–Nov · 0.02% in Oct
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Oct
White-headed WoodpeckerPicoides albolarvatusResidentRare20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.01% in Oct
Williamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideusSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentUncommon34–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantUncommon18–19 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Forster's TernSterna forsteriSummer visitorUncommon33–36 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorRare52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Oct
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusPassage migrantUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantRare18–23 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorRare15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.00% in Oct
Burrowing OwlAthene cuniculariaSummer visitorUncommon19–25 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.00% in Oct
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorRare28–34 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.00% in Oct
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaPassage migrantRare32–34 cmRegularly Oct · 0.00% in Oct
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