Birds to See in Ohio in January
102 bird species on our list for Ohio are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Canada Goose and Red-bellied Woodpecker. New this month: Virginia Rail, Evening Grosbeak and Egyptian Goose.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
American Tree SparrowBusiest month of the year · Nov–Apr
American Black DuckBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
GoldeneyeBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Common MerganserBusiest month of the year · Aug–Apr
Great Black-backed GullBusiest month of the year · Aug–Apr
Tundra SwanBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
From Ohio’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 102 birds in January
102 birds
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.74% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.08% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.80% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.78% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.50% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.19% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Jan
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 3.00% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.89% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 2.88% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.82% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 2.72% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 2.54% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.49% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 2.36% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaResidentCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in Jan
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusResidentCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.54% in Jan- American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.42% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisResidentCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusResidentCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.86% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.81% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Jan- American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.66% in Jan
- GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.60% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.58% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.52% in Jan- Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.52% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.46% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Jan- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.39% in Jan
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan- Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.36% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentCommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.32% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaResidentCommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.26% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Jan
Turkey VultureCathartes auraSummer visitorCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisResidentUncommon80–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Jan
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantCommon28–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.21% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.21% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Jan · 0.19% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.18% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentUncommon91–122 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Jan
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.16% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Jan
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.15% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.14% in Jan
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWinter visitorUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.14% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.11% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.11% in Jan
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Jan
Common LoonGavia immerPassage migrantCommon66–91 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioResidentUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.09% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.09% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Jan
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.04% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxWinter visitorRare54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxSummer visitorUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantRare55–66 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.02% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoWinter visitorRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragusResidentRare36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorUncommon53–69 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorRare66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Virginia RailRallus limicolaSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.01% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentRare63–73 cmRegularly Aug–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusWinter visitorRare41–50 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 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