Birds to See in Michigan in December
98 bird species on our list for Michigan are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, American Crow and White-breasted Nuthatch. New this month: Varied Thrush.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecAt their peak
Red-breasted MerganserBusiest month of the year · All year
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
Tundra SwanBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Great Horned OwlBusiest month of the year · All year
Eastern Screech-owlBusiest month of the year · All year
Lesser Black-backed GullBusiest month of the year · Jun
From Michigan’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 98 birds in December
98 birds
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.89% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.38% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.20% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 4.20% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.15% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.50% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.32% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.16% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.15% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.14% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.71% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.43% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.00% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.55% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.09% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Dec
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisResidentCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Dec- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.48% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.37% in Dec
- Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.33% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.30% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.27% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.27% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaSummer visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.23% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.23% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.23% in Dec- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
- Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.21% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.18% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.15% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.15% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusResidentUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.11% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.07% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.04% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.04% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.04% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentRare21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.03% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Little GullHydrocoloeus minutusSummer visitorRare25–30 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Dec
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorRare20–26 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.00% in Dec
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