Birds to See in New Hampshire in December
104 bird species on our list for New Hampshire are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker and American Crow. New this month: King Eider and Greylag Goose.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecAt their peak
From New Hampshire’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 104 birds in December
104 birds
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 5.14% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 4.76% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.72% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.49% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.84% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.73% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.83% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.15% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.08% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.59% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.27% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.25% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 1.23% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.06% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.88% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerResidentCommon66–91 cmRecorded all year · 0.87% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusResidentCommon64–79 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.68% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.67% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.58% in Dec
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.57% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.56% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.44% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.35% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.24% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.24% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.24% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.23% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.22% in Dec
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
RazorbillAlca tordaWinter visitorUncommon38–43 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.20% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.18% in Dec
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataPassage migrantUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jan · 0.18% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.18% in Dec
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaPassage migrantCommon9–11 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.17% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Dec
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusSummer visitorCommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorUncommon80–100 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.12% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Black GuillemotCepphus grylleResidentUncommon30–32 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Northern GannetMorus bassanusPassage migrantUncommon87–100 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.10% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.08% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaSummer visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.08% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.08% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.07% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusSummer visitorUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Dec
Little AukAlle alleWinter visitorUncommon18–21 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.06% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorRare46–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.03% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Jun–Jan · 0.03% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusWinter visitorRare50–90 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.03% in Dec
FulmarFulmarus glacialisPassage migrantRare45–50 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorRare46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorUncommon27–30 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantRare53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorRare16–25 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusSummer visitorRare19–23 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.02% in Dec
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisPassage migrantUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Dec
DickcisselSpiza americanaWinter visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
King EiderSomateria spectabilisPassage migrantRare46–64 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Dec
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantRare46–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantRare55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 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