Birds to See in Iowa in March
92 bird species on our list for Iowa are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are Canada Goose, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Cardinal and Mallard. New this month: Turkey Vulture, Swamp Sparrow, Pied-billed Grebe and Common Loon and 8 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
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 92 birds in March
92 birds
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.84% in Mar
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 4.22% in Mar
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.99% in Mar
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.83% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.07% in Mar
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.52% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.39% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Mar
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.90% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.89% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in Mar
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 1.62% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.52% in Mar
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.28% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.26% in Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.24% in Mar
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.18% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.10% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.09% in Mar
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 1.04% in Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.85% in Mar
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.83% in Mar
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.79% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.61% in Mar
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Mar
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.55% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.54% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.48% in Mar
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.42% in Mar
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.39% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorPassage migrantUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.38% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.35% in Mar
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.33% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Mar
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Mar
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.23% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.19% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.19% in Mar
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantCommon66–91 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.18% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Mar
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentUncommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.14% in Mar
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.09% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Mar
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in Mar
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.07% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantCommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.04% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.03% in Mar
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.02% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.02% in Mar
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Mar
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorRare36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.00% in Mar
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaPassage migrantUncommon24–28 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.00% in Mar
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorRare64–79 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanopteraResidentRare36–43 cmRegularly Mar–May · 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