Birds to See in Iowa in December
88 bird species on our list for Iowa are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Canada Goose, Downy Woodpecker, American Crow, Northern Cardinal and Blue Jay. New this month: Snowy Owl, Northern Mockingbird and Great Black-backed Gull.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Iowa’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 88 birds in December
88 birds
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.71% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.46% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 4.45% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.31% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.19% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 4.18% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 4.06% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.00% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.51% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.91% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.46% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.45% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.74% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.56% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.12% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 1.10% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.80% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.78% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.53% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.51% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.51% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.41% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.34% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.33% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.32% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.26% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.20% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.19% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.15% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorPassage migrantUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.14% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.14% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.13% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.13% in Dec
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataPassage migrantCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.13% in Dec
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.12% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Dec
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.10% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.09% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.08% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.08% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.08% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantCommon66–91 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.05% in Dec
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentUncommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantCommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorRare64–79 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosSummer visitorRare21–26 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% 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