Birds to See in South Dakota in March
83 bird species on our list for South Dakota are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are Canada Goose, American Robin, Mallard, Red-winged Blackbird and House Sparrow. New this month: Mourning Dove, Common Grackle, Western Meadowlark and Northern Shoveler and 15 more.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarArriving
At their peak
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 83 birds in March
83 birds
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 6.01% in Mar
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 4.25% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 4.10% in Mar
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 3.22% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 2.78% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.77% in Mar
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Mar
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 2.35% in Mar
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensWinter visitorCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 2.29% in Mar
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.25% in Mar
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusWinter visitorCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in Mar
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.92% in Mar
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 1.85% in Mar
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 1.84% in Mar
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaSummer visitorCommon16–26 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 1.83% in Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorCommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.81% in Mar
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 1.80% in Mar
Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaSummer visitorCommon28–34 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 1.76% in Mar
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisWinter visitorCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 1.75% in Mar
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.57% in Mar
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 1.49% in Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaSummer visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 1.45% in Mar
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.42% in Mar
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentCommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.27% in Mar
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusWinter visitorCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.24% in Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.22% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.21% in Mar
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 1.19% in Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 1.18% in Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.08% in Mar
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusResidentCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.94% in Mar
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.84% in Mar
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusWinter visitorCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Mar
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.68% in Mar
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.61% in Mar
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.56% in Mar
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumResidentCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Mar
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Mar
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraSummer visitorCommon23–34 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.43% in Mar
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorCommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Mar
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.38% in Mar
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.37% in Mar
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.27% in Mar
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.22% in Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.21% in Mar
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.19% in Mar
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisPassage migrantUncommon80–122 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.19% in Mar
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorCommon66–102 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Mar
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.17% in Mar
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.16% in Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorUncommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Mar
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsSummer visitorCommon31–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.15% in Mar
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorUncommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Mar
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.13% in Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.11% in Mar
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.11% in Mar
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.10% in Mar
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPassage migrantUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Mar
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.09% in Mar
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanSummer visitorCommon32–36 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.09% in Mar
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantCommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.06% in Mar
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusWinter visitorUncommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.05% in Mar
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaPassage migrantUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Mar
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Mar
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorUncommon17–21 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Mar
Lewis's WoodpeckerMelanerpes lewisSummer visitorUncommon26–28 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.03% in Mar
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.03% in Mar
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorUncommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Nov · 0.03% in Mar
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.03% in Mar
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Mar
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Mar
Grey PartridgePerdix perdixResidentRare28–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
American Three-toed WoodpeckerPicoides dorsalisSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.01% in Mar
Barred OwlStrix variaSummer visitorRare43–50 cmRegularly Dec–Sep · 0.01% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusSummer visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.01% in Mar
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