WhenToBird

Birds in Wisconsin

Winter Birds in Wisconsin

The most likely birds in Wisconsin in winter are Black-capped Chickadee (56%), Dark-eyed Junco (43%), and American Crow (43%). 71 species show up on at least 1 in 100 checklists.

Percent of complete checklists in Wisconsin that reported the bird during these weeks, 2016–2025 (246,595 checklists). It shows how likely you are to list the bird, not how many there are. Methods.

Common this season

Share of checklists
  1. 1Black-capped Chickadee56%
  2. 2Dark-eyed Junco43%
  3. 3American Crow43%
  4. 4Downy Woodpecker42%
  5. 5White-breasted Nuthatch39%
  6. 6Northern Cardinal39%
  7. 7American Goldfinch33%
  8. 8Blue Jay32%
  9. 9Red-bellied Woodpecker32%
  10. 10Mourning Dove32%
  11. 11House Sparrow29%
  12. 12House Finch26%
  13. 13Hairy Woodpecker25%
  14. 14Canada Goose25%
  15. 15Mallard21%
  16. 16American Tree Sparrow17%
  17. 17European Starling16%
  18. 18Red-breasted Nuthatch13%
  19. 19American Herring Gull13%
  20. 20Common Goldeneye13%
  21. 21Bald Eagle12%
  22. 22Red-tailed Hawk12%

Arriving

New in winter
  • Red-winged Blackbirdfirst arrivals mid February, peaks early May
  • Canada Goosefirst arrivals late February, peaks mid March
  • Common Gracklefirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of May
  • Sandhill Cranefirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks mid March
  • Killdeerfirst arrivals late February, peaks mid April
  • Ring-necked Duckfirst arrivals mid February, peaks late March
  • Northern Shovelerfirst arrivals mid February, peaks the second week of April
  • Hooded Merganserfirst arrivals mid February, peaks late March
  • Eastern Bluebirdfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of July
  • American Cootfirst arrivals mid February, peaks late October
  • Green-winged Tealfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of April
  • American Wigeonfirst arrivals late February, peaks late March

Leaving

Gone by the end of winter
  • White-throated Sparrowmost gone by early February
  • Ring-billed Gullmost gone by early December
  • Golden-crowned Kingletmost gone by late December
  • Red-breasted Nuthatchmost gone by mid December
  • American Herring Gullmost gone by mid January
  • Hooded Mergansermost gone by early January
  • American Cootmost gone by the second week of January
  • Common Loonmost gone by early December
  • Winter Wrenmost gone by late December
  • Orange-crowned Warblermost gone by the second week of December
  • Horned Grebemost gone by early December
  • Merlinmost gone by the second week of December

Less common

Share of checklists
  1. 23American Robin9.9%
  2. 24Common Merganser9.1%
  3. 25Tufted Titmouse8.7%
  4. 26Rock Pigeon7.7%
  5. 27Pileated Woodpecker6.5%
  6. 28Ring-billed Gull6.5%
  7. 29Pine Siskin6.1%
  8. 30Wild Turkey5.7%
  9. 31Red-breasted Merganser5.5%
  10. 32Redpoll5.3%
  11. 33Bufflehead5.1%
  12. 34Brown Creeper3.8%
  13. 35Purple Finch3.6%
  14. 36Cooper's Hawk3.5%
  15. 37Common Raven3.5%
  16. 38American Black Duck3.3%
  17. 39Horned Lark3.2%
  18. 40Greater Scaup3.2%
  19. 41Tundra Swan3.1%

Rare but possible

Under 3% of checklists
  1. 42Cedar Waxwing2.8%
  2. 43White-throated Sparrow2.8%
  3. 44Rough-legged Hawk2.8%
  4. 45American Kestrel2.3%
  5. 46Great Horned Owl2.2%
  6. 47Northern Flicker2.2%
  7. 48Lesser Scaup2.1%
  8. 49Redhead2.1%
  9. 50Red-winged Blackbird2.1%
  10. 51American Coot2.1%
  11. 52Sandhill Crane2.1%
  12. 53Hooded Merganser2.1%
  13. 54Gadwall2.0%
  14. 55Song Sparrow2.0%
  15. 56Belted Kingfisher1.8%
  16. 57Trumpeter Swan1.8%
  17. 58Northern Harrier1.7%
  18. 59Northern Shrike1.5%
  19. 60Barred Owl1.4%