Birds to See in Indiana in December
100 bird species on our list for Indiana are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch. New this month: Red Crossbill.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecAt their peak
Great Horned OwlBusiest month of the year · All year
Short-eared OwlBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Eastern Screech-owlBusiest month of the year · All year
Snowy OwlBusiest month of the year · Nov–Jan
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Lesser Black-backed GullBusiest month of the year · Aug–May
From Indiana’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 CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.56% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.98% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.91% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.70% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.57% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.56% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.25% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.85% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.73% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.64% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.62% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.55% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.22% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Dec
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.76% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.58% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Dec
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.55% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.51% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.44% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.36% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.34% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.32% in Dec
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.31% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.30% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.30% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.26% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Dec
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.25% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.23% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.23% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.22% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.21% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.21% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.20% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.19% in Dec- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.16% in Dec- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.16% in Dec
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.13% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.12% in Dec- Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec- Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusPassage migrantUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.09% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.07% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Dec- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.05% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.03% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaResidentRare58–74 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanPassage migrantUncommon32–36 cmRegularly Sep–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year · 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