Birds to See in Montana in March
92 bird species on our list for Montana are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Flicker, Common Starling and Common Raven. New this month: Western Meadowlark, Northern Shoveler, Sandhill Crane and Turkey Vulture and 15 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
At 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 92 birds in March
92 birds
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.69% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.91% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 3.86% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.81% in Mar
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 3.56% in Mar
American RobinTurdus migratoriusSummer visitorCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 3.51% in Mar
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.20% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.34% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.24% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Mar
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.12% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Jul–May · 2.06% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.59% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Mar
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisSummer visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.10% in Mar
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorCommon16–26 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 1.05% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.85% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusResidentCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.78% in Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.71% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Mar
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Mar
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataWinter visitorCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Mar
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.60% in Mar
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Mar
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Mar
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.56% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.54% in Mar
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Mar
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoWinter visitorCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensPassage migrantCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.49% in Mar
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosResidentCommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.44% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorCommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraSummer visitorCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Mar
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.29% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.22% in Mar
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixWinter visitorUncommon28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentUncommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Mar
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.18% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorCommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Mar
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.16% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorUncommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Mar
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopePassage migrantUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Mar–Apr · 0.16% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Mar
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.08% in Mar
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusSummer visitorUncommon20–26 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.08% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusResidentUncommon34–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaSummer visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.06% in Mar
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiPassage migrantUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.05% in Mar
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.05% in Mar
Northern Pygmy-owlGlaucidium gnomaWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.05% in Mar
Virginia RailRallus limicolaResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.03% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.03% in Mar
Western Screech-owlMegascops kennicottiiSummer visitorRare19–25 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.03% in Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.03% in Mar
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificusSummer visitorUncommon8–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusSummer visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.03% in Mar
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Lewis's WoodpeckerMelanerpes lewisResidentUncommon26–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
ChukarAlectoris chukarWinter visitorRare32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaSummer visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.01% in Mar
Williamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideusSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRegularly Mar–Sep · 0.01% in Mar
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentRare43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioSummer visitorRare16–25 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.01% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesPassage migrantUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in Mar
Boreal OwlAegolius funereusSummer visitorRare21–28 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.00% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusPassage migrantRare52–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 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