Birds to See in Illinois in January
97 bird species on our list for Illinois are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Canada Goose, Downy Woodpecker, House Sparrow and Red-bellied Woodpecker.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanAt their peak
American Tree SparrowBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
GoldeneyeBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
American Herring GullBusiest month of the year · All year
Bald EagleBusiest month of the year · All year
American Black DuckBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Rough-legged HawkBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
From Illinois’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 97 birds in January
97 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.02% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.68% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.32% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.01% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.45% in Jan
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.23% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.21% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.08% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.02% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.02% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.01% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.66% in Jan- American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.38% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.36% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 2.00% in Jan- GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 1.89% in Jan
- American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.66% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in Jan- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.15% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.93% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.55% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.42% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.39% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.35% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.35% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Jan- American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.33% in Jan
- Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.32% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.31% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.31% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.30% in Jan
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Jan
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.25% in Jan
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.24% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.24% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.21% in Jan
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.17% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.15% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.14% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.13% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.13% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.11% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.11% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.11% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.08% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Jan
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.05% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Jan
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.03% in Jan
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataSummer visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
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