Birds to See in Wisconsin in January
89 bird species on our list for Wisconsin are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are American Crow, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal and Mourning Dove. New this month: Wood Duck and Swan Goose.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanAt 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 89 birds in January
89 birds
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosResidentCommon41–53 cmRecorded all year · 5.59% in Jan
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescensResidentCommon14–18 cmRecorded all year · 4.98% in Jan
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 4.48% in Jan
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 4.47% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentCommon23–34 cmRecorded all year · 4.03% in Jan
Blue JayCyanocitta cristataResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 3.90% in Jan
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinusResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 3.59% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 3.42% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentCommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 2.98% in Jan
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year · 2.89% in Jan
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 2.87% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.67% in Jan
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arboreaWinter visitorCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 2.38% in Jan
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 2.12% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.03% in Jan
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusWinter visitorCommon70–102 cmRecorded all year · 1.93% in Jan
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 1.70% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorCommon53–65 cmRecorded all year · 1.63% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaWinter visitorCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.48% in Jan
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.20% in Jan
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolorResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Jan
American RobinTurdus migratoriusResidentCommon20–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.96% in Jan
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentCommon100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Jan
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Jan
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.77% in Jan
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorCommon46–59 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.76% in Jan
Pine SiskinSpinus pinusWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.67% in Jan
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Jan
Common RedpollAcanthis flammeaWinter visitorCommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.65% in Jan
Common RavenCorvus coraxResidentCommon54–67 cmRecorded all year · 0.65% in Jan
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.62% in Jan
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.48% in Jan
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.45% in Jan
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusWinter visitorUncommon46–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Jan
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.31% in Jan
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalisWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.30% in Jan
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusWinter visitorUncommon52–71 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.29% in Jan
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaSummer visitorCommon12–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Jan
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusSummer visitorCommon28–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Jan
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Jan
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.20% in Jan
Barred OwlStrix variaResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Jan
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinusWinter visitorUncommon64–79 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.18% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorUncommon24–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Jan
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.17% in Jan
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicusWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.16% in Jan
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentUncommon50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Jan
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.15% in Jan
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.15% in Jan
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusWinter visitorUncommon62–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asioWinter visitorUncommon16–25 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.13% in Jan
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorUncommon34–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Jan
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalusResidentUncommon19–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialisSummer visitorCommon16–21 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysWinter visitorCommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.11% in Jan
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasSummer visitorCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusResidentUncommon24–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Jan
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesWinter visitorUncommon52–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.11% in Jan
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellusResidentUncommon41–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.08% in Jan
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.08% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.08% in Jan
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.07% in Jan
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaSummer visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.07% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentUncommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Jan
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosWinter visitorUncommon66–102 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.06% in Jan
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Jan
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusWinter visitorRare17–21 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.04% in Jan
Red-throated LoonGavia stellataWinter visitorRare53–69 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraWinter visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorRare20–26 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.02% in Jan
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Great TitParus majorWinter visitorRareRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.02% in Jan
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.02% in Jan
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaResidentRare16–26 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.01% in Jan
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaSummer visitorRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Jan
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentRare12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Swan GooseAnser cygnoidesPassage migrantRare81–94 cmRegularly Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosSummer visitorRare21–26 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 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