Birds to See in Iowa in February
83 bird species on our list for Iowa are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Canada Goose, American Crow and House Sparrow. New this month: Common Grackle, Great Blue Heron, Wood Duck and Sandhill Crane and 2 more.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebArriving
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 83 birds in February
83 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.53% in Feb
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 5.02% in Feb
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.54% in Feb
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 4.48% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.41% in Feb
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.35% in Feb
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 4.04% in Feb
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 3.97% in Feb
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.79% in Feb
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 3.21% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.18% in Feb
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Feb
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.16% in Feb
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Feb
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.90% in Feb
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.74% in Feb
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 1.36% in Feb
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Feb
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Feb
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.94% in Feb
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.82% in Feb
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.80% in Feb
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Feb
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.77% in Feb
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Feb
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.70% in Feb
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Feb
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Feb
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Feb
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.59% in Feb
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Feb
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Feb
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.44% in Feb
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.44% in Feb
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Feb
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.38% in Feb
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.34% in Feb
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.34% in Feb
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Feb
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.32% in Feb
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.26% in Feb
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Feb
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.18% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.17% in Feb
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.16% in Feb
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.15% in Feb
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.12% in Feb
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Feb
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.12% in Feb
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.11% in Feb
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.10% in Feb
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.10% in Feb
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.09% in Feb
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.09% in Feb
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.08% in Feb
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.07% in Feb
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in Feb
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.07% in Feb
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.07% in Feb
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Feb
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Feb
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Feb
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.06% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentUncommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Feb
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Feb
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Feb
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorPassage migrantUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Feb
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorRare64–79 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.01% in Feb
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosSummer visitorRare21–26 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Feb
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