Birds in Iowa
Birds in Iowa in December
The most likely birds in Iowa in December are Dark-eyed Junco (49%), Black-capped Chickadee (46%), and Downy Woodpecker (44%). 84 species show up on at least 1 in 100 checklists.
Percent of complete checklists in Iowa that reported the bird during these weeks, 2016–2025 (16,496 checklists). It shows how likely you are to list the bird, not how many there are. Methods.
Common now
Share of checklists- 1
Dark-eyed Junco49% - 2
Black-capped Chickadee46% - 3
Downy Woodpecker44% - 4
Northern Cardinal43% - 5
Blue Jay41% - 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker41% - 7
Canada Goose41% - 8
White-breasted Nuthatch40% - 9
American Crow38% - 10
Bald Eagle34% - 11
House Sparrow32% - 12
Mallard26% - 13
House Finch24% - 14
American Goldfinch24% - 15
European Starling23% - 16
American Tree Sparrow21% - 17
Hairy Woodpecker20% - 18
Red-tailed Hawk18% - 19
Northern Flicker16% - 20
Ring-billed Gull15% - 21
Common Goldeneye12% - 22
American Robin11% - 23
Mourning Dove11% - 24
White-throated Sparrow11% - 25
Tufted Titmouse11%
Arriving
New in DecemberLeaving
Gone by the end of December- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Fox Sparrow
- Ruddy Duck
- Common Loon
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Horned Grebe
Less common
Share of checklists- 26
Trumpeter Swan8.3% - 27
Common Merganser8.1% - 28
Song Sparrow7.4% - 29
Eastern Bluebird7.3% - 30
Rock Pigeon7.0% - 31Eurasian Tree Sparrow6.7%
- 32
American Herring Gull6.4% - 33
Red-headed Woodpecker6.2% - 34
Cackling Goose6.0% - 35
Lesser Scaup5.5% - 36
Brown Creeper5.4% - 37
Cedar Waxwing5.3% - 38
Hooded Merganser5.0% - 39
American Kestrel5.0% - 40
American White Pelican4.6% - 41
Belted Kingfisher4.4% - 42
Red-breasted Nuthatch4.1% - 43
Ring-necked Pheasant4.1% - 44
Pileated Woodpecker4.1% - 45
Ring-necked Duck3.6% - 46Northern Harrier3.4%
- 47
Gadwall3.4% - 48
Bufflehead3.3% - 49
Cooper's Hawk3.3% - 50
Carolina Wren3.2% - 51
Ruddy Duck3.2% - 52
Wild Turkey3.2% - 53
Barred Owl3.2% - 54
Pine Siskin3.1%
Rare but possible
Under 3% of checklists- 55
Purple Finch3.0% - 56
Red-winged Blackbird2.9% - 57
Snow Goose2.8% - 58
American Coot2.8% - 59
Canvasback2.7% - 60
Northern Shoveler2.5%