Birds to See in Iowa in November
107 bird species on our list for Iowa are recorded regularly in November
Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, American Crow, Canada Goose and Red-bellied Woodpecker. New this month: Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Rough-legged Hawk and Snow Bunting and 4 more.
On the move in November
GBIF · NovArriving
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 107 birds in November
107 birds
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.92% in Nov
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.67% in Nov
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.66% in Nov
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.50% in Nov
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.46% in Nov
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.35% in Nov
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.28% in Nov
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Nov
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.74% in Nov
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.71% in Nov
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 2.61% in Nov
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Nov
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Nov
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.97% in Nov
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.77% in Nov
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Nov
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Nov
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in Nov
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.15% in Nov
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Nov
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 1.07% in Nov
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Nov
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Nov
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.89% in Nov
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.88% in Nov
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Nov
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.82% in Nov
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.78% in Nov
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Nov
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Nov
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.76% in Nov
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantCommon66–91 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.60% in Nov
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Nov
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.57% in Nov
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Nov
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Nov
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantCommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.54% in Nov
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Nov
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.51% in Nov
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.48% in Nov
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.48% in Nov
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Nov
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.39% in Nov
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.36% in Nov
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.36% in Nov
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Nov
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.36% in Nov
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.35% in Nov
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.34% in Nov
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorPassage migrantUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.32% in Nov
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.31% in Nov
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Nov
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Nov
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataPassage migrantCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.26% in Nov
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.25% in Nov
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.25% in Nov
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.24% in Nov
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Nov
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.22% in Nov
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanSummer visitorCommon32–36 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.22% in Nov
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.22% in Nov
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.18% in Nov
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.17% in Nov
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.17% in Nov
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Nov
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.15% in Nov
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.12% in Nov
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantCommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.11% in Nov
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaPassage migrantCommon9–11 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.11% in Nov
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.09% in Nov
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.08% in Nov
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in Nov
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.07% in Nov
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataPassage migrantUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 0.06% in Nov
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Nov
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Nov
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Nov
Great White EgretArdea albaSummer visitorCommon80–104 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.06% in Nov
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.06% in Nov
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.05% in Nov
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaResidentRare58–74 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 0.05% in Nov
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Nov
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Nov
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.04% in Nov
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentUncommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Nov
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Nov
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.04% in Nov
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantCommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.04% in Nov
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.03% in Nov
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.03% in Nov
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.03% in Nov
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Nov
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Nov
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.02% in Nov
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaSummer visitorUncommon43–51 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.02% in Nov
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.02% in Nov
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Nov
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Nov
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Nov
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Nov
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly Jan–Nov · 0.02% in Nov
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Nov
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorRare58–65 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in Nov
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Nov
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in Nov
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusSummer visitorRare58–85 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in Nov
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in Nov
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