Birds to See in Wisconsin in December
96 bird species on our list for Wisconsin are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal and Blue Jay. New this month: Purple Sandpiper, Varied Thrush, Kittiwake and Chukar.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Wisconsin’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 96 birds in December
96 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 5.60% in Dec
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.89% in Dec
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.61% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.40% in Dec
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 4.24% in Dec
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.76% in Dec
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.55% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.53% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.30% in Dec
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Dec
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.76% in Dec
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Dec
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.09% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.90% in Dec
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in Dec
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.81% in Dec
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.42% in Dec
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 1.39% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaWinter visitorCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.29% in Dec
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.22% in Dec
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.95% in Dec
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.80% in Dec
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.57% in Dec
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Dec
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.45% in Dec
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.45% in Dec
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Dec
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.39% in Dec
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Dec
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Dec
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.28% in Dec
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.27% in Dec
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Dec
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.24% in Dec
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.24% in Dec
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.22% in Dec
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.20% in Dec
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.17% in Dec
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.15% in Dec
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.15% in Dec
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.13% in Dec
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.10% in Dec
Common LoonGavia immerSummer visitorCommon66–91 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.10% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusResidentUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.09% in Dec
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.08% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.08% in Dec
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.06% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.05% in Dec
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusSummer visitorCommon14–18 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.05% in Dec
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in Dec
Great TitParus majorWinter visitorRareRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.01% in Dec
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.01% in Dec
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Dec
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorRare20–26 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosSummer visitorRare21–26 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.00% in Dec
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaPassage migrantRare58–74 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
ChukarAlectoris chukarResidentRare32–38 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 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