Birds to See in Nebraska in January
86 bird species on our list for Nebraska are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow and Common Starling. New this month: American Black Duck and Swan Goose.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanAt their peak
Downy WoodpeckerBusiest month of the year · All year
Red-tailed HawkBusiest month of the year · All year
Bald EagleBusiest month of the year · All year
Hairy WoodpeckerBusiest month of the year · All year
Rough-legged HawkBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Trumpeter SwanBusiest month of the year · All year
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 86 birds in January
86 birds
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.57% in Jan- Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.53% in Jan
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.51% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 4.22% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.97% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.78% in Jan- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.44% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.38% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.96% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Jan
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.59% in Jan- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.49% in Jan
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.44% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 2.31% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.13% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.04% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 1.40% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Jan- Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in Jan
- Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 1.11% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.93% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.92% in Jan
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentCommon16–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.67% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.50% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.49% in Jan- Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.32% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.31% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.30% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.29% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.28% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.27% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.22% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.21% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.21% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.21% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.19% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.19% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.17% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.17% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.10% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.09% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusPassage migrantUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.08% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.07% in Jan
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Jan
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesResidentUncommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorRare62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesPassage migrantRare54–59 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.04% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.03% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisPassage migrantUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.03% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentRare54–67 cmRegularly Jun–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Swan GooseAnser cygnoidesPassage migrantRare81–94 cmRegularly Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentRare16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 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