Birds to See in Michigan in March
101 bird species on our list for Michigan are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are Canada Goose, Red-winged Blackbird, American Robin, Northern Cardinal and American Crow. New this month: Bonaparte's Gull, Osprey, Common Loon and Virginia Rail and 3 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
At their peak
Red-winged BlackbirdBusiest month of the year · Feb–Nov
Common GrackleBusiest month of the year · Feb–Nov
Common MerganserBusiest month of the year · All year
GadwallBusiest month of the year · All year
Northern ShovelerBusiest month of the year · Aug–Jun
Northern PintailBusiest month of the year · Aug–May
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 101 birds in March
101 birds
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.41% in Mar- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 4.32% in Mar
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 4.05% in Mar
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.87% in Mar
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.73% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.40% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.35% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.09% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.78% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.51% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.50% in Mar- Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 2.48% in Mar
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.45% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.41% in Mar
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.33% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.74% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisResidentCommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 1.68% in Mar
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 1.33% in Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Mar- Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.17% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.11% in Mar
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.06% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.90% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Mar
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.80% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Mar
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Mar- GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Mar- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.46% in Mar
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Mar
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.35% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.31% in Mar
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Mar
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.29% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.27% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.27% in Mar
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Mar- Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.24% in Mar
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.23% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.17% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.17% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Mar
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.08% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusResidentUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaSummer visitorCommon28–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.06% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Mar
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
OspreyPandion haliaetusSummer visitorCommon54–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.06% in Mar
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.05% in Mar
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in Mar
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorUncommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentRare21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Mar
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.02% in Mar
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Mar
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Mar
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Mar
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorRare36–41 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorRare16–26 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Mar
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorRare20–26 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopePassage migrantRare42–51 cmRegularly Mar–May · 0.00% in Mar
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Mar
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.00% in Mar
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