Uncommon Birds in Iowa
Our list for Iowa has 78 uncommon birds recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 21 summer visitors, 22 winter visitors and 30 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Iowa in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 78, most common first
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Nov
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaPassage migrantUncommon14–14 cmRegularly May–Sep
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly May–Sep
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorPassage migrantUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensPassage migrantUncommon11–12 cmRegularly May–Oct
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusSummer visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaSummer visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusSummer visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly May–Sep
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusPassage migrantUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
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