Birds of Siouxland

The richness of plant and animal species diversity is due to elevation changes, direction of exposure to the sun, and a great number of areas where these communities merge into one another — the edge effect.

Over one hundred species of birds nest in or near the Loess Hills. With the addition of migratory waterfowl, songbirds, shorebirds, and predatory birds, the result is a bird watcher’s treasure.

Scott Moats, Siouxland Bird Guide

Key:

Spring = March, April, May

Summer = June, July

Fall = August, September, October, November

Winter = December, January, February.

Occurrence ratings:

A = Abundant: seen every year, large numbers

C = Common: seen yearly, wide spread

U = Uncommon: seen 6 to 8 years of 10

O = Occasional: seen 3 to 5 years of 10

Find your copy of the Siouxland Bird Guide at the following locations:

  • Sioux City Public Library

  • Sioux City Public Museum

  • Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center / Betty Strong Encounter Center

  • Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

  • Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve

  • Hillview Recreation Area

  • And other locations around Siouxland

R = Rare: seen 1 to 2 times per 10 years

X = Accidental: out of range

(*) = nesting locally

Habitats:

  1. Open water, shorelines, sandbars

  2. Wetlands and marshes

  3. Grasslands and croplands

  4. Scattered trees and shrubs

  5. Woodlands

  6. Cities, towns or around buildings and bridges

  7. Flying high overhead

SPECIES SPRING . SUMMER . FALL . WINTER . HABITAT .
Waterfowl
Black-bellied Whistling Duck . R . . 1,2
Snow Goose A O C O 1,3,7
Ross's Goose C . C O 1,3,7
Greater White-fronted Goose C . C O 1,3,7
Cackling Goose U . C R 1,3,7
Canada Goose A C A U 1,2,3,7
Mute Swan . . O . 1
Trumpeter Swan U . U . 1,3
Tundra Swan O . O . 1,3
Wood Duck C C C . 1,2,5
Blue-winged Teal A O C . 1,2
Cinnamon Teal O . . . 1,2
Northern Shoveler A O C . 1,2
Gadwall C . C . 1,2
Eurasian Wigeon R . . . 1,2
American Wigeon C . C . 1,2
Mallard A C A C 1,2
American Black Duck R . R R 1,2
Northern Pintail U . U . 1,2
Green-winged Teal C . C . 1,2
Canvasback U . U . 1,2
Redhead C . C . 1,2
Ring-necked Duck C . C . 1,2
Greater Scaup U . U . 1,2
Lesser Scaup C . C . 1,2
Surf Scoter . . O . 1
White-winged Scoter . . O . 1
Black Scoter R . O . 1
Long-tailed Duck R . O . 1
Bufflehead C . U . 1,2
Common Goldeneye C . O C 1
Hooded Merganser C O U R 1,2
Common Merganser U . U C 1
Red-breasted Merganser U . U . 1
Ruddy Duck C O C . 1,2
Grouse, Quail & Allies
Northern Bobwhite O O* O O 3,4
Wild Turkey C C* C C 4,5
Sharp-tailed Grouse R . . . 3
Greater Prairie-Chicken U U* U U 3
Gray Partridge R R R R 3
Ring-necked Pheasant C C* C C 2,3,4
Grebes
Pied-billed Grebe C O* C . 1,2
Horned Grebe O . O . 1,2
Eared Grebe O . O . 1,2
Western Grebe O . R . 1,2
Pigeons & Doves
Rock Pigeon A A* A A 6
Eurasian Collared-Dove C C* C C 6
White-winged Dove X . . . 6
Mourning Dove C C* C O 3,4,5,6
Cuckoos
Yellow-billed Cuckoo . C O . 4,5
Black-billed Cuckoo . O . . 4,5
Nightjars, Swifts & Hummingbirds
Common Nighthawk C C* C . 6,7
Eastern Whip-poor-will C C* C . 5
Chimney Swift C C* C . 5,6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird C C* C . 4,5,6
Rails, Coots & Cranes
Virginia Rail U . . . 2
Sora U . U . 2
Common Gallinule R . . . 2
American Coot A O* C . 1,2
Sandhill Crane O R . . 2,3,7
Shorebirds
Black-necked Stilt O R . . 1,2
American Avocet C . U . 1,2
Black-bellied Plover O . O . 2,3
American Golden-Plover U . O . 2,3
Snowy Plover R . . . 1
Semi-palmated Plover C . C . 1,2
Piping Plover . U* . . 1
Killdeer C C* C O 1,2,3,6
Upland Sandpiper U C* . . 3
Hudsonian Godwit U . . . 1,2
Marbled Godwit U . . . 1,2
Ruddy Turnstone R . . . 1
Stilt Sandpiper U . O . 1,2
Sanderling O . . . 1
Dunlin U . . . 1,2
Baird's Sandpiper C . U . 1,2
Least Sandpiper C O C . 1,2
White-rumped Sandpiper C O U . 1,2
Buff-breasted Sandpiper R . U . 3
Pectoral Sandpiper C . C . 1,2
Semi-palmated Sandpiper C . C . 1,2
Western Sandpiper R . . . 1,2
Short-billed Dowitcher U . O . 1,2
Long-billed Dowitcher C . O . 1,2
American Woodcock U O* . . 5
Wilson's Snipe U . . . 2
Wilson's Phalarope U . . . 1,2
Spotted Sandpiper C O* C . 1,2
Solitary Sandpiper U . C . 1,2
Greater Yellowlegs U . U . 1,2
Willet U . O . 1,2
Lesser Yellowlegs C . C . 1,2
Loons Cormorants & Pelicans
Common Loon U R O . 1
Double-crested Cormorant C O U . 1,7
American White Pelican C . U . 1,2,7
Gulls & Terns
Bonaparte's Gull U . U . 1
Franklin's Gull C . U . 1,3,7
Ring-billed Gull U . U R 1,7
California Gull R . . . 1
Herring Gull U . . . 1
Least Tern C C* C . 1
Caspian Tern O . . . 1
Black Tern C O U . 1,2
Common Tern O . . . 1
Forster's Tern U . U . 1
Herons, Egrets & Ibis
American Bittern U O . . 2
Least Bittern O O . . 2
Great Blue Heron C C* C R 1,2
Great Egret U . . . 1,2
Snowy Egret U . . . 1,2
Cattle Egret O . . . 1,2,3
Green Heron C C* C . 1,2
Black-crowned Night-Heron O . R . 1,2
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron R . R . 1,2
Glossy Ibis R . . . 2
White-faced Ibis U . O . 2
Vultures, Hawks & Eagles
Turkey Vulture C C* C . 6,7
Osprey U O* U . 1
Golden Eagle O . . U 3
Mississippi Kite R . . . 4
Northern Harrier C . C U 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk U . U U 5
Cooper's Hawk C C* C C 5,6
Northern Goshawk . . . O 4,5
Bald Eagle C* C* C C 1,7
Red-shouldered Hawk O . O . 5
Broad-winged Hawk U O* O . 5
Swainson's Hawk U R O . 3,7
Red-tailed Hawk C C* C C 3,4,5,7
Rough-legged Hawk U . . C 3
Ferruginous Hawk O . . O 3
Owls
Barn Owl . O* O R 3,6
Eastern Screech-Owl C C* C C 5
Snowy Owl . . . O 3
Great Horned Owl C* C C C 3,4,5
Burrowing Owl R . . . 3
Barred Owl U U* U C 5
Long-eared Owl O . . O 5
Short-eared Owl O . . O 3
Northern Saw-whet Owl . . . O 3
Kingfishers & Woodpeckers
Belted Kingfisher U U* U O 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker O O* O R 4,5
Red-headed Woodpecker C C* C O 3,4,5
Red-bellied Woodpecker C C* C C 5
Downy Woodpecker C C* C C 3,4,5
Hairy Woodpecker U U* U U 4,5
Pileated Woodpecker R R* R O 5
Northern Flicker C C* C C 3,4,5
Falcons
American Kestrel U U* U U 3
Merlin U . . U 3,4
Peregrine Falcon O R O . 1,2,3,4
Prairie Falcon . . . O 3
Flycatchers
Olive-sided Flycatcher U . U . 4,5
Eastern Wood-Pewee U C* U . 4,5
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher O . R . 5
Alder Flycatcher O . O . 2,5
Willow Flycatcher U U* O . 2,5
Least Flycatcher C . U . 3,4,5
Eastern Phoebe U U* U . 4,5,6
Great-crested Flycatcher U U* U . 4,5
Western Kingbird U C* O . 3,4,6
Eastern Kingbird C C* C . 3,4
Vireos
White-eyed Vireo R . . . 5
Bell's Vireo . U* . . 3
Yellow-throated Vireo . U* . . 5
Blue-headed Vireo U . U . 5
Philadelphia Vireo O . . . 5
Warbling Vireo C C* C . 4,5
Red-eyed Vireo C C* C . 5
Shrikes
Loggerhead Shrike . O* . . 3
Northern Shrike U . . U 3
Jays, Crows, Magpies
Blue Jay C C* C C 4,5
Black-billed Magpie . . R . 3,4
American Crow C C* C C 3,4,5,6,7
Chickadees & Titmice
Black-capped Chickadee C C* C C 4,5,6
Tufted Titmouse R R R R 5
Larks
Horned Lark C U* C C 3
Swallows
Northern Rough-winged Swallow C C* C . 1,2,3
Purple Martin U U* U . 6
Tree Swallow C C* C . 1,2,3
Bank Swallow C C* C . 1,2,3
Barn Swallow C C* C . 1,3,6
Cliff Swallow C C* C . 1,2,3,6
Kinglets, Nuthatches & Creepers
Ruby-crowned Kinglet U . U R 4,5
Golden-crowned Kinglet O . O O 4,5
Red-breasted Nuthatch O . O O 4
White-breasted Nuthatch C C* C C 4,5
Brown Creeper U . U U 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher U C* U . 5
Wrens
House Wren C C* C . 4,5,6
Winter Wren O . . O 4,5
Sedge Wren . O U . 3
Marsh Wren U O* U R 2
Carolina Wren O O* O U 4,5,6
Starlings
European Starling A A* A A 3,4,6
Catbirds, Mockingbirds & Thrashers
Gray Catbird C C* C . 4,5
Sage Thrasher . X . . 3
Brown Thrasher C C* U . 4
Northern Mockingbird . R . . 4
Thrushes
Eastern Bluebird U U* U U 3,4
Townsend's Solitaire . . . R 4
Veery O . . . 4,5
Gray-cheeked Thrush U . R . 4,5
Swainson's Thrush C . U . 4,5
Hermit Thrush U . U R 4,5
Wood Thrush . U* . . 4,5
American Robin C C* C U 4,5,6
Waxwings
Bohemian Waxwing . . . R 4,5
Cedar Waxwing U U* U U 4,5
Old World Sparrows
House Sparrow C C* C C 6
Eurasian Tree Sparrow X . . . 5,6
Pipits & Wagtails
American Pipit U . U . 1
Finches & Allies
Pine Grosbeak . . . X 4
House Finch C C* C C 6
Purple Finch R . R U 4,5
Common Redpoll . . . O 3
Red Crossbill R . O R 4,5
White-winged Crossbill R . R O 4,5
Pine Siskin O R* . O 4,5,6
American Goldfinch C C* C C 3,4,5,6
Longspurs & Snow Buntings
Lapland Longspur . . . U 3
Smith's Longspur O . O . 3
Snow Bunting . . . O 3
New World Sparrows
Grasshopper Sparrow . C* . . 3
Chipping Sparrow C C* C . 4
Clay-colored Sparrow U . U . 3,4
Field Sparrow C C C . 4
Lark Sparrow C C C . 3
Lark Bunting R . . . 3
American Tree Sparrow C . C C 3
Fox Sparrow U . U . 4,5
Dark-eyed Junco C . C C 3,4,5,6
White-crowned Sparrow C . C O 3,4
Harris's Sparrow C . C O 3,4
White-throated Sparrow C . C O 4,5
Vesper Sparrow C U* U . 3
LeConte's Sparrow O . U . 2,3
Nelson's Sparrow O . O . 2
Savannah Sparrow C . C . 3
Song Sparrow C C* C O 2,3
Lincoln's Sparrow C . C . 4,5
Swamp Sparrow U O* U . 2
Spotted Towhee O O O O 4
Eastern Towhee C C* U . 4
Chats
Yellow-breasted Chat O O* . . 4
Blackbirds, Orioles & Meadowlarks
Yellow-headed Blackbird . U* . . 2
Bobolink . U* . . 3
Western Meadowlark C C* C U 3
Eastern Meadowlark . U* . . 3
Orchard Oriole C C* . . 4,5,6
Baltimore Oriole C C* . . 4,5,6
Red-winged Blackbird C C* C O 2,3,4
Brown-headed Cowbird C C* C R 2,3,4,5
Rusty Blackbird U . U . 2
Brewer's Blackbird U . U . 3
Common Grackle A A* C O 2,3,4,6
Great-tailed Grackle O O* . . 2
Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Tanagers
Summer Tanager . U* U . 5
Scarlet Tanager . C* U . 5
Western Tanager R . . . 4,5
Northern Cardinal C C* C C 4,5,6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak . C* U . 4,5
Black-headed Grosbeak R . R . 4,5
Blue Grosbeak . U* . . 3
Lazuli Bunting R . . . 4,5
Indigo Bunting . C* . . 4,5
Painted Bunting . X . . 5,6
Dickcissel . C* C . 3
Wood Warblers
Ovenbird . U* R . 5
Louisiana Waterthrush . U* R . 5
Northern Waterthrush U . O . 2
Golden-winged Warbler O . R . 4,5
Blue-winged Warbler O R R . 4,5
Black-and-white Warbler C R U . 4,5
Prothonotary Warbler R . . . 2,5
Tennessee Warbler C . U . 4,5
Orange-crowned Warbler C . U . 4,5
Nashville Warbler U . U . 4,5
Connecticut Warbler R . R . 4,5
Mourning Warbler O . R . 4,5
Kentucky Warbler . O* . . 5
Common Yellowthroat . C* U . 2,3,4
American Redstart . C* U . 5
Cape May Warbler O . R . 4,5
Cerulean Warbler R . . . 5
Northern Parula . O* . . 5
Magnolia Warbler U . O . 4,5
Bay-breasted Warbler O . U . 4,5
Blackburnian Warbler O . O . 4,5
Yellow Warbler C C* U . 4,5
Chestnut-sided Warbler U . U . 4,5
Blackpoll U . U . 4,5
Palm Warbler U . O . 2,4,5
Pine Warbler O . O . 4,5
Yellow-rumped Warbler C . C . 4,5
Black-throated Green Warbler O . O . 4,5
Canada Warbler O . O . 4,5
Wilson's Warbler U . U . 2,4

Accidental Occurrences last seen prior to 2013

SPECIES YEAR SPECIES YEAR
Gargany 2006 Neotropic Cormorant 2012
Barrow's Goldeneye 2012 Brown Pelican 1991
Red-necked Grebe 1990 Little Blue Heron 2001
Clark's Grebe 1999 Lewis's Woodpecker 1929
Chuck-will's-widow 2000 Acadian Flycatcher 2000
Rufous Hummingbird 2003 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2009
Mexican Violetear 2006 Rock Wren 1910
King Rail 1993 Varied Thrush 2007
Whooping Crane 2012 Sprague's Pipit 2007
Whimbrel 2002 Evening Grosbeak 1985
Ruff 2011 Chestnut-collared Longspur 1997
Red Phalarope 2003 Lark Bunting 1997
Black-legged Kittiwake 1998 Black-throated Sparrow 1993
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2011 Black-throated Gray Warbler 1961
Iceland Gull 1996 Townsend's Warbler 1991
Red-throated Loon 2006 . .