Birds to See in Montana in December
87 bird species on our list for Montana are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Common Raven, Northern Flicker, House Finch, Canada Goose and Mallard. New this month: Say's Phoebe.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecAt their peak
From Montana’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 87 birds in December
87 birds
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 5.13% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 4.89% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 3.54% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.34% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.28% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 3.15% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.83% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.74% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.49% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.39% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.96% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 1.80% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 1.76% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.64% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusSummer visitorCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.01% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataWinter visitorCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoWinter visitorCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.72% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusResidentCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.54% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.52% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorCommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorCommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosResidentCommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.39% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisSummer visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraSummer visitorCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorUncommon28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.33% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.13% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensPassage migrantCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.13% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.12% in Dec
Northern Pygmy-owlGlaucidium gnomaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.12% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Lewis's WoodpeckerMelanerpes lewisResidentUncommon26–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.09% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentUncommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentUncommon34–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.07% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.07% in Dec
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.07% in Dec
Virginia RailRallus limicolaResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.05% in Dec
Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificusSummer visitorUncommon8–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.04% in Dec
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
ChukarAlectoris chukarWinter visitorRare32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaSummer visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesPassage migrantUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaPassage migrantRare12–15 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiPassage migrantUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentRare43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusPassage migrantRare52–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusSummer visitorUncommon20–26 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioSummer visitorRare16–25 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Dec
Western Screech-owlMegascops kennicottiiSummer visitorRare19–25 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