Birds to See in Missouri in January
98 bird species on our list for Missouri are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Tufted Titmouse. New this month: Glaucous Gull and Greylag Goose.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanAt their peak
Bald EagleBusiest month of the year · All year
American Tree SparrowBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
White-crowned SparrowBusiest month of the year · Oct–May
GoldeneyeBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Trumpeter SwanBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Common MerganserBusiest 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 98 birds in January
98 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.03% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.85% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.80% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.70% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 3.43% in Jan
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.11% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.73% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.71% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.55% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.49% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 2.43% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.38% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusWinter visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 2.16% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in Jan- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.67% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.58% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.57% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.04% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Jan- American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 1.00% in Jan
- White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.98% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Jan
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.74% in Jan- GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.67% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.65% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.56% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.54% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.53% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan- Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.51% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.50% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.48% in Jan
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorCommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.41% in Jan
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.38% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Jan- Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.32% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.32% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.29% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.27% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.25% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.23% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.20% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.17% in Jan
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaWinter visitorCommon9–11 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.13% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.13% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.12% in Jan
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Jan
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.11% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerWinter visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaWinter visitorUncommon16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.07% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.05% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentRare27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorRare37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusResidentRare62–68 cmRegularly Jan–Mar · 0.01% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisResidentRare80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisPassage migrantUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Virginia RailRallus limicolaPassage migrantRare20–27 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Swan GooseAnser cygnoidesWinter visitorRare81–94 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.00% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Jan
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaWinter visitorRare17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.00% in Jan
Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianusResidentRare52–54 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.00% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusPassage migrantRare17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaWinter visitorRare58–74 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRegularly May–Feb · 0.00% in Jan
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