WhenToBird

Birds in South Dakota

Winter Birds in South Dakota

The most likely birds in South Dakota in winter are Dark-eyed Junco (34%), Downy Woodpecker (32%), and Black-capped Chickadee (32%). 73 species show up on at least 1 in 100 checklists.

Percent of complete checklists in South Dakota that reported the bird during these weeks, 2016–2025 (14,076 checklists). It shows how likely you are to list the bird, not how many there are. Methods.

Common this season

Share of checklists
  1. 1Dark-eyed Junco34%
  2. 2Downy Woodpecker32%
  3. 3Black-capped Chickadee32%
  4. 4House Sparrow29%
  5. 5Canada Goose25%
  6. 6White-breasted Nuthatch25%
  7. 7House Finch22%
  8. 8American Goldfinch21%
  9. 9Blue Jay21%
  10. 10Mallard19%
  11. 11European Starling19%
  12. 12Hairy Woodpecker19%
  13. 13Eurasian Collared-Dove18%
  14. 14Bald Eagle17%
  15. 15Red-breasted Nuthatch14%
  16. 16Northern Cardinal14%
  17. 17American Crow14%
  18. 18American Robin12%
  19. 19Common Goldeneye12%
  20. 20Red-bellied Woodpecker12%
  21. 21Common Merganser11%
  22. 22Northern Flicker10%
  23. 23Rock Pigeon10%

Arriving

New in winter
  • Red-winged Blackbirdfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of May
  • Canada Goosefirst arrivals late February, peaks mid March
  • Ring-billed Gullfirst arrivals late February, peaks early April
  • Green-winged Tealfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of April
  • Northern Pintailfirst arrivals late December, peaks the second week of April
  • Greater White-fronted Goosefirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks the second week of March
  • Pine Siskinfirst arrivals mid December, peaks mid February
  • Canvasbackfirst arrivals mid February, peaks late March
  • Horned Larkfirst arrivals early February, peaks early March
  • Northern Harrierfirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks the second week of April
  • American Kestrelfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of April
  • Ross's Goosefirst arrivals mid February, peaks the second week of March

Leaving

Gone by the end of winter
  • Ring-billed Gullmost gone by mid December
  • White-throated Sparrowmost gone by mid December
  • Red-breasted Nuthatchmost gone by mid February
  • Harris's Sparrowmost gone by the second week of January
  • Red-bellied Woodpeckermost gone by late February
  • Belted Kingfishermost gone by mid December
  • Northern Harriermost gone by mid January
  • Red Crossbillmost gone by early January
  • Bonaparte's Gullmost gone by early January
  • Golden-crowned Kingletmost gone by the second week of February

Less common

Share of checklists
  1. 24Red-tailed Hawk9.6%
  2. 25American Tree Sparrow9.5%
  3. 26Ring-necked Pheasant8.9%
  4. 27Pine Siskin8.9%
  5. 28Bufflehead6.7%
  6. 29Purple Finch6.5%
  7. 30American Coot6.2%
  8. 31Rough-legged Hawk6.1%
  9. 32Cedar Waxwing5.8%
  10. 33Horned Lark5.6%
  11. 34Gadwall5.4%
  12. 35Redhead5.2%
  13. 36Ring-necked Duck5.1%
  14. 37Ring-billed Gull4.5%
  15. 38Wild Turkey4.3%
  16. 39Townsend's Solitaire3.9%
  17. 40Hooded Merganser3.9%
  18. 41Great Horned Owl3.8%
  19. 42Cackling Goose3.7%
  20. 43American Wigeon3.7%
  21. 44American Herring Gull3.7%
  22. 45Snow Goose3.3%
  23. 46Brown Creeper3.1%
  24. 47Red-winged Blackbird3.1%

Rare but possible

Under 3% of checklists
  1. 48Belted Kingfisher2.6%
  2. 49Redpoll2.6%
  3. 50Sharp-shinned Hawk2.5%
  4. 51Lesser Scaup2.2%
  5. 52Black-billed Magpie2.1%
  6. 53Golden Eagle2.1%
  7. 54Northern Shrike1.7%
  8. 55Sharp-tailed Grouse1.7%
  9. 56Northern Harrier1.6%
  10. 57Northern Pintail1.6%
  11. 58Greater White-fronted Goose1.6%
  12. 59American Kestrel1.6%
  13. 60Great Blue Heron1.6%