Birds to See in Maine in January
90 bird species on our list for Maine are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, American Herring Gull, Blue Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch and Downy Woodpecker. New this month: Fish Crow.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanAt their peak
Red-breasted MerganserBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
Surf ScoterBusiest month of the year · Sep–Jun
Red-tailed HawkBusiest month of the year · All year
Horned GrebeBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Great CormorantBusiest month of the year · All year
From Maine’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 90 birds in January
90 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 5.97% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 4.48% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.32% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.19% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.90% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in Jan
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.47% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.44% in Jan
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in Jan- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 2.29% in Jan
- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 2.22% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.12% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 2.08% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Jan
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.53% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.51% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Jan- Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 1.05% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Jan- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Jan
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.91% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Jan
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Jan- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.77% in Jan
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Jan
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorCommon40–50 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.54% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.33% in Jan
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.32% in Jan
RazorbillAlca tordaResidentUncommon38–43 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.29% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorCommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.27% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.20% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.20% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.16% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.13% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.12% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.12% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.10% in Jan
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.09% in Jan
DickcisselSpiza americanaWinter visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Little AukAlle alleWinter visitorUncommon18–21 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.09% in Jan
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.06% in Jan
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.05% in Jan
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Feb · 0.05% in Jan
Northern GannetMorus bassanusSummer visitorCommon87–100 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.05% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.04% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentRare46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisPassage migrantUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.03% in Jan
King EiderSomateria spectabilisWinter visitorRare46–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.03% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorRare16–25 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.01% in Jan
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 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