Birds to See in Minnesota in December
83 bird species on our list for Minnesota are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay and Hairy Woodpecker. New this month: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Great Black-backed Gull and Muscovy Duck.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Minnesota’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 83 birds in December
83 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 6.59% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 5.88% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 5.49% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 5.44% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 4.25% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.66% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.41% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.65% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.49% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaWinter visitorCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.42% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.32% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.13% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 1.09% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.85% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisSummer visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.79% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.70% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.68% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.51% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusWinter visitorCommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.34% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.27% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.23% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.22% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.21% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.11% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.11% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.09% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.08% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.07% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.07% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPassage migrantUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaPassage migrantCommon15–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.04% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.04% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorSummer visitorUncommon140–160 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensPassage migrantUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorRare28–32 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.03% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorUncommon20–26 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.02% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusPassage migrantRare52–64 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorUncommon16–26 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorRare58–65 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorRare64–79 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataWinter visitorRare66–84 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 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