Birds to See in Kentucky in January
92 bird species on our list for Kentucky are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse and Common Starling. New this month: Trumpeter Swan.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanAt their peak
From Kentucky’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 January
92 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.00% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.49% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.45% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.37% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.36% in Jan
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.29% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.27% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.24% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 3.05% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.92% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.47% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.00% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Jan
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 1.46% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.93% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Jan
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Nov–Jun · 0.71% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.70% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.70% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.64% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.55% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.54% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.52% in Jan
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaResidentCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.42% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.38% in Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisWinter visitorUncommon80–122 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.29% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Jan
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.25% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.24% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.24% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.23% in Jan
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.23% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.22% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.20% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.19% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.18% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.18% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.17% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.15% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.14% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.12% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.12% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.11% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioResidentUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.08% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Jun · 0.06% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.05% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.04% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.04% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.04% in Jan
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumPassage migrantCommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.03% in Jan
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentRare139–157 cmRegularly Jan–Feb · 0.03% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.02% in Jan
Forster's TernSterna forsteriWinter visitorUncommon33–36 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.02% in Jan
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Jan
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisWinter visitorRare28–34 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorRare54–67 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.01% in Jan
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisPassage migrantUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentRare63–73 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.00% in Jan
Virginia RailRallus limicolaResidentRare20–27 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
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