Birds to See in Missouri in December
102 bird species on our list for Missouri are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker and American Crow. New this month: Evening Grosbeak and Golden Eagle.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecAt their peak
Hooded MerganserBusiest month of the year · Oct–Jun
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Hermit ThrushBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
Lapland LongspurBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Tundra SwanBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
From Missouri’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 102 birds in December
102 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.59% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.96% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.72% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.59% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.30% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.28% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.68% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 2.57% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.42% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.39% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.36% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.23% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.19% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.19% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.78% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.58% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.96% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.92% in Dec
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.89% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.74% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.73% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.68% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.63% in Dec
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Dec- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.58% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.57% in Dec- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.52% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.51% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.49% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.47% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.45% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.44% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.39% in Dec
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.30% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.30% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Dec
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.26% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.19% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.19% in Dec- Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.19% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.18% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.18% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.17% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.14% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.12% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Dec- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
- Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaWinter visitorUncommon16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.08% in Dec- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorRare37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisResidentRare80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisPassage migrantUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Dec
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaWinter visitorRare17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentRare27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Virginia RailRallus limicolaPassage migrantRare20–27 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaResidentRare40–50 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.00% in Dec
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusPassage migrantRare58–85 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentRare16–22 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.00% in Dec
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaWinter visitorRare58–74 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusPassage migrantRare17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.00% in Dec
Swan GooseAnser cygnoidesWinter visitorRare81–94 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.00% in Dec
Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianusResidentRare52–54 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 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