Birds to See in Indiana in January
98 bird species on our list for Indiana are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch. New this month: Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-crowned Night-heron, Common Redpoll and Evening Grosbeak.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
American Tree SparrowBusiest month of the year · Nov–Apr
Bald EagleBusiest month of the year · All year
GoldeneyeBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Hooded MerganserBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Greater White-fronted GooseBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Snow GooseBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
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 98 birds in January
98 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.85% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.02% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.58% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.56% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.48% in Jan
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.37% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.30% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.27% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.77% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.66% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.65% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Jan- American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.36% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in Jan- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Jan- GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.92% in Jan
- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.81% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.61% in Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Jan- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.51% in Jan
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.44% in Jan- Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.42% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.41% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.32% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.30% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.29% in Jan
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.28% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.27% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.25% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.22% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.19% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.19% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.18% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.18% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.16% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.15% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.14% in Jan
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.11% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.11% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.10% in Jan
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.10% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.05% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.05% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusPassage migrantUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.04% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataPassage migrantUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Jan
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.00% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.00% in Jan
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusResidentRare29–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Jan
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 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