Birds to See in Illinois in March
104 bird species on our list for Illinois are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Goose, Northern Cardinal and Mallard. New this month: Chipping Sparrow, Pectoral Sandpiper, Osprey and Greater Yellowlegs and 8 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
At their peak
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 104 birds in March
104 birds
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 4.84% in Mar
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.48% in Mar
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.47% in Mar
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.30% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.46% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.81% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Mar
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.68% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.66% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.56% in Mar
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.45% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 2.31% in Mar
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.26% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 2.04% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.91% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Mar
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.19% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.13% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.05% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Mar
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.92% in Mar
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Mar
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.80% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.71% in Mar
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Mar
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.63% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.61% in Mar
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.60% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.51% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.43% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.35% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.31% in Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Mar
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Mar
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.25% in Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.23% in Mar
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Mar
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.19% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.17% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.15% in Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Mar
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Mar
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Mar
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.12% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.12% in Mar
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Mar
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentUncommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Mar
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.09% in Mar
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.09% in Mar
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Feb–Oct · 0.09% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Mar
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.05% in Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.04% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.03% in Mar
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.03% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.02% in Mar
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Mar
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaSummer visitorUncommon24–28 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.00% in Mar
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.00% in Mar
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Mar
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataSummer visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in Mar
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