Birds to See in Minnesota in March
91 bird species on our list for Minnesota are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Cardinal and American Robin. New this month: Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Ring-billed Gull and Common Grackle and 14 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
At their peak
Hooded MerganserBusiest month of the year · All year
Common MerganserBusiest month of the year · All year
Horned LarkBusiest month of the year · All year
GadwallBusiest month of the year · All year
Greater White-fronted GooseBusiest month of the year · Feb–Apr
Northern PintailBusiest month of the year · Sep–May
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 91 birds in March
91 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 5.89% in Mar
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 5.32% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 4.25% in Mar
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.02% in Mar
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 3.86% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.53% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.37% in Mar
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 3.22% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.03% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in Mar
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.35% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.20% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.06% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.01% in Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisSummer visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 1.56% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.51% in Mar- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 1.47% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaWinter visitorCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in Mar
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.29% in Mar- Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 1.14% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.97% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.96% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.95% in Mar- Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.80% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.72% in Mar- GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Mar
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.60% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.50% in Mar
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Mar
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPassage migrantUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.47% in Mar- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.46% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Mar
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.36% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.35% in Mar- Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.34% in Mar
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.32% in Mar
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.25% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.21% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaPassage migrantCommon15–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.20% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensPassage migrantUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.20% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.16% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.16% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.15% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Mar
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorCommon16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.12% in Mar
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorUncommon16–26 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.11% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Mar
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusWinter visitorCommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.11% in Mar
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.10% in Mar
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiPassage migrantUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.06% in Mar
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Mar
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorSummer visitorUncommon140–160 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.04% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusPassage migrantRare52–64 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorRare28–32 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.02% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorUncommon20–26 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Mar
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Mar
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorRare64–79 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorRare13–14 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