Birds to See in South Dakota in December
80 bird species on our list for South Dakota are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Downy Woodpecker, Canada Goose, House Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch and Bald Eagle. New this month: Snowy Owl, Glaucous Gull, Hermit Thrush and Evening Grosbeak and 1 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
Red-bellied WoodpeckerBusiest month of the year · All year
Sharp-shinned HawkBusiest month of the year · Aug–Apr
Lesser Black-backed GullBusiest month of the year · Sep–Apr
Eastern Screech-owlBusiest month of the year · All year
Long-tailed DuckBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Short-eared OwlBusiest month of the year · Oct–Jul
From South Dakota’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 December
80 birds
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 3.91% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.65% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.58% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 3.23% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 2.99% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.92% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.78% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusWinter visitorCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.63% in Dec
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.30% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.22% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 2.18% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 2.12% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.98% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 1.95% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.82% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.79% in Dec- Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.72% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.72% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.61% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.41% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 1.02% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 1.00% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.74% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.73% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorCommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.66% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.61% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorCommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Dec- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.43% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.30% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.29% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.29% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraSummer visitorCommon23–34 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.28% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantCommon28–38 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.27% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Dec- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.25% in Dec
- Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Dec
- Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.23% in Dec
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.23% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaSummer visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorCommon16–26 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.23% in Dec
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.21% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.21% in Dec
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.20% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.19% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusWinter visitorUncommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.18% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.16% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.16% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.15% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.14% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.14% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.14% in Dec
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.14% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.13% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysPassage migrantCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.11% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaPassage migrantUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaResidentUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.07% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorUncommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.05% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaSummer visitorRare43–50 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.05% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPassage migrantUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixResidentRare28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusPassage migrantUncommon14–18 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.01% 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