Birds to See in Nebraska in February
80 bird species on our list for Nebraska are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow, Canada Goose, American Robin and Downy Woodpecker. New this month: Sandhill Crane, Northern Mockingbird, Mute Swan and Bohemian Waxwing.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebArriving
At their peak
Greater White-fronted GooseBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Pine SiskinBusiest month of the year · All year
Lesser Black-backed GullBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Iceland GullBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
Short-eared OwlBusiest month of the year · Jun–Jul
Glaucous GullBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
From Nebraska’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 80 birds in February
80 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.22% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.51% in Feb
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 4.50% in Feb
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 4.50% in Feb
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.14% in Feb
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.05% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.78% in Feb
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 3.34% in Feb
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.31% in Feb
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.85% in Feb
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.70% in Feb
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.40% in Feb
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.39% in Feb
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.38% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.26% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.19% in Feb
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.90% in Feb
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.51% in Feb
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.44% in Feb
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.31% in Feb
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Feb- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 1.20% in Feb
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Feb
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.96% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Feb
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.90% in Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.88% in Feb
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Feb- Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Feb
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Feb
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.59% in Feb
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Feb
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.51% in Feb
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Feb
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentCommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Feb
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Feb
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.41% in Feb
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.36% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.35% in Feb
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.33% in Feb
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Feb
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Feb
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Feb
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisPassage migrantCommon80–122 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Feb
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.24% in Feb
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Feb
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.22% in Feb
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.22% in Feb
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.20% in Feb
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Feb
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.19% in Feb
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Feb
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Feb- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.14% in Feb
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.13% in Feb
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Feb
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Feb
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.10% in Feb
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Feb- Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Feb
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.07% in Feb
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Feb
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Feb
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Feb- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.05% in Feb
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesResidentUncommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Feb
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Feb
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.02% in Feb
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
Mute SwanCygnus olorSummer visitorRare140–160 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.01% in Feb
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Feb
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Feb
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusPassage migrantRare19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Feb
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosSummer visitorUncommon21–26 cmRegularly Feb–Sep · 0.00% in Feb
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