Birds to See in Wisconsin in February
86 bird species on our list for Wisconsin are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch and Mourning Dove. New this month: Red-winged Blackbird, Sandhill Crane, Eurasian Teal and Greater White-fronted Goose.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebArriving
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 86 birds in February
86 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 6.00% in Feb
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 5.13% in Feb
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 5.09% in Feb
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.67% in Feb
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 4.19% in Feb
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.78% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.73% in Feb
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.72% in Feb
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 3.42% in Feb
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 3.13% in Feb
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.00% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.39% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.37% in Feb
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.06% in Feb
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.99% in Feb
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.94% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaWinter visitorCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.35% in Feb
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Feb
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.29% in Feb
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.26% in Feb
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Feb
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.07% in Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.97% in Feb
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.93% in Feb
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Feb
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Feb
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.81% in Feb
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Feb
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorCommon80–122 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.56% in Feb
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.56% in Feb
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusSummer visitorCommon17–23 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.55% in Feb
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.46% in Feb
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Feb
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Feb
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.35% in Feb
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.33% in Feb
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Feb
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Feb
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Feb
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.24% in Feb
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Feb
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.23% in Feb
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Feb
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.21% in Feb
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.20% in Feb
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Feb
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Feb
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Feb
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Feb
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Feb
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.12% in Feb
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Feb
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.12% in Feb
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.11% in Feb
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Feb
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Feb
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.10% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Feb
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in Feb
MerlinFalco columbariusResidentUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Feb
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.09% in Feb
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Feb
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.08% in Feb
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Feb
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Feb
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.06% in Feb
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Feb
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.05% in Feb
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Feb
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Feb
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.04% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.04% in Feb
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.04% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Feb
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.03% in Feb
Great TitParus majorWinter visitorRareRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.02% in Feb
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.02% in Feb
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorRare20–26 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.02% in Feb
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in Feb
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.00% in Feb
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