Missouri calls itself the Show-Me State, and in January the birds are happy to oblige, as long as you're holding a bag of sunflower seed (they drive a hard bargain). This guide to Missouri winter birds covers the feeder regulars, the northern visitors, and the big-ticket spectacles like eagles, geese, and swans by the thousand.
As for the state bird, the Eastern Bluebird does stick around, just in smaller numbers. The Missouri Department of Conservation lists the Eastern Bluebird, Missouri's state bird, as an uncommon winter resident in the south and rare in the north, so a January bluebird is a treat, not a guarantee. Below are 32 species, each with ID tips, male vs female differences, calls, where to find them in Missouri, and what they'll eat at your feeder.
Types of Winter Birds in Missouri
There are 3 types of winter birds in Missouri you'll see on the list:
- Resident Missouri Birds – found year-round, and most of them visit feeders
- Winter Migrants / Visitors – birds that fly south to Missouri for the winter from Canada and the northern states. Some, like snow geese and trumpeter swans, gather in huge numbers at wetlands along the big rivers
- Irruptive Species – birds that show up in large, unpredictable numbers in some winters and barely at all in others, usually when seed and cone crops fail farther north
The species are listed roughly in order of how often they show up at Missouri feeders, based on Project FeederWatch counts from 174 Missouri sites in late winter, followed by the less common visitors and the birds you'll need to leave the yard for.
1. Northern Cardinal
- Family – Cardinalidae
- Species – Cardinalis cardinalis
- Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Northern Cardinal is the most reliable of all winter birds in Missouri. In FeederWatch's late-winter Missouri counts, it showed up at 93% of sites, which is a better attendance record than I had in high school. It eats seeds, berries, and the odd insect, and does most of its feeding early and late in the day.
Males are bright red with a black face and a red-orange bill. The female Northern Cardinal is a warm tan-brown with reddish tinges on the wings, tail, and crest, plus the same orange bill. Both keep that pointed crest all winter.
The Northern Cardinal song is a loud, clear whistle, often heard as cheer-cheer-cheer or birdie-birdie-birdie, and it'll sing on mild winter mornings. The call is a sharp, metallic chip.
Cardinals live statewide in Missouri, in yards, woodland edges, and brushy fence rows. Thick shrubs or evergreens near your feeder help them a lot. For more on keeping them happy, see our guide to cardinals in winter: where they go, what they eat, and how to attract them.
Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, safflower, cracked corn on a platform
2. Dark-eyed Junco
- Family – Passerellidae
- Species – Junco hyemalis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Visitor
The Dark-eyed Junco is the "snowbird," and it shows up in Missouri in late fall like it read the forecast. Juncos breed up north and spend the winter here, hopping around under feeders in small flocks. In FeederWatch's Missouri counts, juncos were at 91% of sites, second only to the cardinal.
Missouri's juncos are mostly the "slate-colored" type: gray above, white belly, pale pink bill, and white outer tail feathers that flash when they fly. Males are a darker, cleaner slate gray, while females are paler and washed with brown.
The Dark-eyed Junco call is a sharp tick or smack, and the song is a quick, dry trill.
Look for juncos statewide in yards, field edges, and brushy woods from late fall into early spring. They're ground feeders, so they'll ignore your fancy tube feeder and clean up whatever falls off it.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, sunflower chips scattered on the ground
3. Downy Woodpecker
- Family – Picidae
- Species – Dryobates pubescens
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in Missouri and one of the easiest to attract. In winter it picks insects and larvae out of bark and weed stems, and it's a regular at suet cages.
It's black and white with a white stripe down the back and a short, stubby bill. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head, while females don't.
The Downy Woodpecker call is a soft pik, plus a whinny that runs down the scale. It also drums on branches in late winter.
Downies are found statewide in Missouri woodlots, parks, river bottoms, and neighborhoods with a few big trees.
Feeder favorites: suet, black oil sunflower, peanuts
4. House Finch
- Family – Fringillidae
- Species – Haemorhous mexicanus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The House Finch was originally a bird of the western U.S., but it's now one of the most common Missouri birds at feeders. It eats almost entirely seeds, and it'll empty a tube feeder with the focus of a contestant on Supermarket Sweep.
Males have a rosy red head, breast, and rump, though the color can range from orange to yellow depending on diet. Females are plain gray-brown with blurry streaks and no strong face pattern.
The House Finch song is a long, cheerful warble that often ends on a rising, buzzy note. The call is a short cheep.
House finches are found statewide in Missouri, especially in towns and suburbs with feeders and shrubs.
Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, sunflower chips, nyjer
5. Mourning Dove
- Family – Columbidae
- Species – Zenaida macroura
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident / Partial Migrant
The Mourning Dove is a slim, soft gray-brown seed eater that feeds on the ground. MDC notes it's less common in winter than in other seasons, but plenty stay, and FeederWatch still found them at nearly three-quarters of Missouri sites in late winter.
Look for black spots on the wings and a long, pointed tail edged in white. Males have a pinkish breast and a bluish-gray crown, while females are a little browner overall.
The Mourning Dove call is a soft, sad coo-OO-oo-oo-oo that gets mistaken for an owl. Their wings make a whistling sound when they take off.
In Missouri winters, doves gather in flocks around farm fields, feedlots, and backyard feeders statewide.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, black oil sunflower on a platform or the ground
6. European Starling
- Family – Sturnidae
- Species – Sturnus vulgaris
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird (Non-Native Species)
The European Starling is a non-native bird that's made itself very much at home in Missouri. It eats insects, fruit, grain, and whatever's in your suet feeder, and it arrives in gangs.
In winter, starlings are dark and glossy with heavy white spots and a dark bill. By spring the spots wear off and the bill turns yellow. Males and females look alike.
Starling sounds are a mess of whistles, clicks, rattles, and imitations of other birds (and, occasionally, car alarms).
Starlings are found statewide, especially in cities, around livestock operations, and in big winter roosts.
Feeder favorites: suet, cracked corn. If they're bullying everyone else, an upside-down suet feeder helps
7. American Goldfinch
- Family – Fringillidae
- Species – Spinus tristis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The American Goldfinch stays in Missouri all year, but its bright yellow fades to olive in winter. If you think your goldfinches left in October, they didn't. They just went into witness protection.
In winter, males keep some yellow on the face and throat and have black wings with bold white bars. Females are duller and grayer, with brownish wings.
The American Goldfinch call is a bouncy po-ta-to-chip, given in flight as they dip up and down.
Goldfinches are found statewide in weedy fields, woodland edges, and yards with tube feeders.
Feeder favorites: nyjer, sunflower chips, black oil sunflower
8. Blue Jay
- Family – Corvidae
- Species – Cyanocitta cristata
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident / Partial Migrant
The Blue Jay is loud, smart, and always arriving like it owns the place. It eats acorns, seeds, and insects, and it hides acorns to eat later (and forgets some, which plants new oaks).
Males and females look alike: bright blue above with black and white on the wings and tail, a crest, and a black necklace across a pale chest.
The Blue Jay call is a harsh jay-jay, plus whistles and clicks. Blue jays also do a very good impression of a Red-shouldered or Red-tailed Hawk.
Blue jays are found statewide in Missouri, especially in oak and hickory woods, parks, and older neighborhoods.
Feeder favorites: peanuts (in or out of the shell), black oil sunflower, suet
9. Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Family – Picidae
- Species – Melanerpes carolinus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker with a name that makes no sense until you get very close. The "red belly" is a faint pinkish wash that's hard to see. It eats insects, acorns, nuts, and fruit, and it stashes food in bark crevices.
Look for a zebra-striped black-and-white back and a pale face. Males have red from the bill all the way to the back of the neck, while females only have red on the nape and back of the head.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker call is a rolling kwirr or churr, and it's one of the loudest sounds in a winter woodlot.
Red-bellied woodpeckers live statewide in Missouri forests, river bottoms, and wooded yards.
Feeder favorites: suet, peanuts, black oil sunflower
10. White-throated Sparrow
- Family – Passerellidae
- Species – Zonotrichia albicollis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Visitor
The White-throated Sparrow breeds in Canada and the far north and winters across Missouri. It's a ground feeder that scratches through leaf litter for seeds, and it showed up at 59% of Missouri FeederWatch sites in late winter.
Look for a bright white throat, a yellow spot between the eye and bill, and a striped head. Some birds have white head stripes and some have tan ones, and these two forms show up in both sexes, so you can't tell males from females by looking.
The White-throated Sparrow song is a clear, whistled Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada-Canada (or Old-Sam-Peabody, depending on who taught you). They'll sometimes sing on warm winter days.
Look for them statewide in brushy thickets, woodland edges, and yards with brush piles.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, sunflower chips on the ground
11. Tufted Titmouse
- Family – Paridae
- Species – Baeolophus bicolor
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Tufted Titmouse is a small gray bird with a crest, big black eyes, and the confidence of a much bigger bird. It eats seeds, nuts, and insects, and it often travels with chickadees in winter.
It's soft gray above, pale below, with rusty flanks. Males and females look alike.
The Tufted Titmouse song is a loud, whistled peter-peter-peter. It also gives a raspy, scolding call that sounds like a chickadee with a sore throat.
Titmice live statewide in Missouri's deciduous woods, parks, and wooded neighborhoods.
Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, peanuts, suet
12. Carolina Chickadee
- Family – Paridae
- Species – Poecile carolinensis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
Missouri gets two chickadees. The Carolina Chickadee lives in the southern part of the state, and the Black-capped Chickadee lives in the north. MDC says the two meet along a line running roughly west from St. Louis to Jefferson City and Clinton, then southwest toward Prairie State Park, and they sometimes hybridize where they overlap. Telling them apart there is hard enough that I've decided both are just "chickadee" until proven otherwise.
Both have a black cap and bib, white cheeks, and a gray back. Carolinas are grayer on the sides with a neat bottom edge on the bib, while Black-cappeds have buffy flanks, white edges on the wing feathers, and a messier bib. Males and females look alike.
The easiest tell is the song: the Carolina whistles four notes (fee-bee-fee-bay), and the Black-capped whistles two (fee-bee). The Carolina's chick-a-dee-dee-dee call is also faster.
Chickadees are found statewide in woods, parks, and yards.
Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, peanuts, suet
13. House Sparrow
- Family – Passeridae
- Species – Passer domesticus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird (Non-Native Species)
The House Sparrow is a non-native bird that lives wherever people do. It eats seeds and grain and roosts in building eaves and thick shrubs to stay warm.
Males have a gray crown, chestnut sides of the head, and a black bib. Females are plain buffy-brown with a pale stripe behind the eye.
The House Sparrow call is a constant, chirpy cheep or chirrup.
House sparrows are found statewide in Missouri towns, cities, and farmsteads. If you're in the St. Louis area, look closely, because the next sparrow on this list is easy to confuse with it.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, sunflower seed
14. Carolina Wren
- Family – Troglodytidae
- Species – Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Carolina Wren is a small, round, rusty-brown bird with a loud voice that's way out of proportion to its size. It eats mostly insects and spiders, poking through brush piles, woodpiles, and garages. Long stretches of snow and ice can be hard on them, so they'll come to suet.
Look for warm brown upperparts, buffy underparts, and a long white eyebrow stripe. Males and females look alike.
The Carolina Wren song is a ringing teakettle-teakettle-teakettle, and it sings all year. Pairs stay together year-round.
Carolina wrens live across Missouri in thickets, woodland edges, and yards with plenty of cover.
Feeder favorites: suet, peanut pieces, mealworms
15. White-breasted Nuthatch
- Family – Sittidae
- Species – Sitta carolinensis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The White-breasted Nuthatch spends winter walking headfirst down tree trunks, which is roughly how I handle icy driveways. It wedges seeds and nuts into bark and hacks them open with its bill.
It's blue-gray above with a clean white face and breast and a rusty wash under the tail. Males have a glossy black cap, while females usually have a grayer one.
The White-breasted Nuthatch call is a nasal yank or quank, often repeated.
White-breasted nuthatches are found statewide in Missouri in mature woods, parks, and yards with big trees.
Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, peanuts, suet
16. Eastern Bluebird
- Family – Turdidae
- Species – Sialia sialis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Missouri State Bird (resident, less common in winter)
The Eastern Bluebird has been Missouri's state bird since 1927, and it doesn't leave entirely in winter. MDC lists it as uncommon in the south and rare in the north at this time of year, though plenty of feeder watchers still see them, since bluebirds were at 44% of Missouri FeederWatch sites in late winter. In winter, they switch from insects to berries and travel in small flocks.
Both sexes have a rusty throat and breast and a white belly. Males are bright blue above, while females are a softer gray-blue and paler below.
The Eastern Bluebird call is a soft, low tur-wee, and the song is a gentle warble.
Look for bluebirds in open country with scattered trees, along fence lines, and near berry-producing trees like cedars and sumac, especially in southern Missouri. MDC notes that bluebirds may come to feeding stations in winter if there's open water, so a heated bird bath for winter is one of the best ways to invite your state bird over.
Feeder favorites: mealworms, suet, chopped fruit
17. Northern Flicker
- Family – Picidae
- Species – Colaptes auratus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident / Partial Migrant
The Northern Flicker is a big brown woodpecker that often feeds on the ground, where it digs for ants with a long, slightly curved bill. In winter it also eats berries and seeds.
It's brown with black bars on the back, black spots on the belly, and a black crescent on the chest. Missouri's flickers are the "yellow-shafted" type, with bright yellow under the wings and tail. Males have a black "mustache" stripe, while females don't.
The Northern Flicker call is a loud, piercing kyeer, and the song is a long, rolling wick-wick-wick-wick.
Flickers are found statewide in Missouri in open woods, parks, and yards with big lawns and trees.
Feeder favorites: suet, peanuts
18. American Robin
- Family – Turdidae
- Species – Turdus migratorius
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident / Partial Migrant
The American Robin is still around in Missouri in winter, you're just looking in the wrong place. When the ground freezes, robins stop pulling worms and form roving flocks that strip berry trees.
Robins have a gray-brown back and an orange breast. Males usually have a darker, almost black head and richer orange breast, while females are paler.
In winter, robins mostly give a low tut-tut or a sharp peek call instead of their famous spring song.
Look for robin flocks statewide in cedar stands, river bottoms, and neighborhoods with holly, crabapple, or hackberry.
Feeder favorites: chopped apples, softened raisins, mealworms
19. Hairy Woodpecker
- Family – Picidae
- Species – Dryobates villosus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Hairy Woodpecker is the Downy Woodpecker's bigger lookalike. It eats insects and larvae from bark and comes to suet in winter.
The best way to tell them apart is the bill, which is nearly as long as the Hairy's head (the Downy's is short and stubby). Males have a red patch on the back of the head, while females don't.
The Hairy Woodpecker call is a sharp, loud peek, stronger than the Downy's, plus a rattling call.
Hairy woodpeckers are found statewide in Missouri's mature forests and wooded neighborhoods, though they're less common at feeders than Downies.
Feeder favorites: suet, black oil sunflower, peanuts
20. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Family – Passeridae
- Species – Passer montanus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird (Non-Native Species, St. Louis area)
The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is Missouri's most exclusive bird. MDC says the original 12 birds were brought from Germany and released in St. Louis in 1870, and in North America they're still found mainly around St. Louis and nearby parts of Illinois and southeastern Iowa. Birders travel from other states just to tick this one off, which is a lot of pressure for a sparrow.
It looks like a tidier House Sparrow, with a chestnut-brown cap, a white cheek with a black spot, and a small black bib. Males and females look alike, unlike the House Sparrow.
Its song is higher and more metallic than the House Sparrow's, and the call is a hard tik-tik in flight.
Look for Eurasian Tree Sparrows in the St. Louis area and farm country to the north, around hedgerows, farmyards, and backyard feeders.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, sunflower chips
21. Harris's Sparrow
- Family – Passerellidae
- Species – Zonotrichia querula
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Visitor (uncommon, mostly western Missouri)
The Harris's Sparrow is the largest sparrow in North America, and it spends the winter in the middle of the country, including Missouri. It breeds only in northern Canada, so this is a bird a lot of birders never get to see.
Adults have a black crown, face, and bib, gray cheeks, and a pink bill. Young birds in their first winter have less black and a white throat. Males and females look alike.
The Harris's Sparrow call is a sharp tseet or weenk.
MDC lists Harris's Sparrow as uncommon in western Missouri in winter and rare in the east. Look in brushy fence rows, thickets, and woodland edges, and check the flocks of juncos and other sparrows under your feeder.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, sunflower chips on the ground
22. American Tree Sparrow
- Family – Passerellidae
- Species – Spizelloides arborea
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Visitor
The American Tree Sparrow comes down from the far north for the winter and, despite the name, spends most of its time on the ground. (Bird names are a lot like my high school nicknames, not always accurate.) It eats weed and grass seeds in fields and under feeders.
Look for a rusty cap, a rusty line behind the eye, a gray face, a two-toned bill that's dark on top and yellow below, and a dark spot in the middle of a plain breast. Males and females look alike.
The American Tree Sparrow call is a high tseet, and flocks give a soft, musical twitter.
They're found across Missouri in weedy fields, hedgerows, marsh edges, and backyards with brush piles.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn on the ground
23. Song Sparrow
- Family – Passerellidae
- Species – Melospiza melodia
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident / Winter Migrant
The Song Sparrow is a common streaky brown sparrow that's around all year. MDC says it visits feeders year-round in most of Missouri but is rare in the Ozarks.
It has thick brown streaks on a white breast that often meet in a dark central spot, plus a long, rounded tail that it pumps in flight. Males and females look alike.
The Song Sparrow song starts with a few clear notes and then falls into a buzzy trill. The call is a husky chimp.
Song sparrows like brushy edges near water, weedy fields, and backyard thickets.
Feeder favorites: white millet, cracked corn, sunflower chips on the ground
24. Purple Finch
- Family – Fringillidae
- Species – Haemorhous purpureus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Irruptive Species (irregular)
The Purple Finch is a winter visitor from the north whose numbers in Missouri change a lot from year to year. It was at 30% of Missouri FeederWatch sites in late winter, so it's worth a second look at every "House Finch."
Males look like they've been dipped in raspberry juice, with color across the head, back, and breast. Females are brown and streaky with a bold white eyebrow and a dark cheek patch, which is the easiest way to tell them from female House Finches.
The Purple Finch call is a short, sharp pik in flight, and the song is a fast, rich warble.
Look for purple finches in woods and yards across Missouri, especially near feeders and tree seeds.
Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, nyjer
25. Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Family – Sittidae
- Species – Sitta canadensis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Irruptive Species (uncommon, sporadic)
The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a tiny northern nuthatch that MDC calls an uncommon, sporadic winter resident in Missouri. Some winters they're everywhere, and some winters you won't see one.
It's blue-gray above with a rusty breast and a black stripe through the eye. Males have a black cap and richer rusty underparts, while females have a gray cap and paler underparts.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch call is a nasal yank-yank, higher and more tinny than the White-breasted, like a tiny toy horn.
Look for them in pine stands, including planted pines in parks and cemeteries, and at backyard feeders.
Feeder favorites: suet, peanuts, black oil sunflower
26. Pine Siskin
- Family – Fringillidae
- Species – Spinus pinus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Irruptive Species
The Pine Siskin is a small, streaky finch that shows up in Missouri when seed crops fail in the northern forests. Some winters bring big flocks to feeders, and some bring none.
It's brown and heavily streaked with a thin, pointed bill and yellow flashes in the wings and tail. Some males show more yellow than females, but they're hard to tell apart in the field.
The Pine Siskin call is a rising, buzzy zreeeee, like someone slowly zipping a jacket.
When they come, look for siskins in conifers and at feeders across Missouri. Clean your feeders often in siskin years, since crowded flocks can spread disease.
Feeder favorites: nyjer, sunflower chips
27. Cedar Waxwing
- Family – Bombycillidae
- Species – Bombycilla cedrorum
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident / Winter Migrant (nomadic)
The Cedar Waxwing is a sleek, crested fruit eater that travels in flocks, showing up wherever the berries are and leaving when they're gone. It's the bird world's version of a food truck crowd.
It's soft brown and gray with a black mask, a pale yellow belly, a yellow-tipped tail, and red, waxy tips on the wing feathers. Males and females look alike.
The Cedar Waxwing call is a very high, thin sreee whistle that's easy to miss.
Look for waxwings statewide in red cedars, hollies, hackberries, and fruiting ornamental trees.
Feeder favorites: they rarely use feeders, but they'll visit a bird bath and berry-producing shrubs
28. Bald Eagle
- Family – Accipitridae
- Species – Haliaeetus leucocephalus
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird & Winter Migrant
The Bald Eagle is the headliner of Missouri winters. Eagles from the north pour into the state to fish open water below dams and along the big rivers, and MDC calls Missouri one of the leading wintering bald eagle states. They eat fish, waterfowl, and carrion.
Adults have a dark brown body, white head and tail, and a big yellow bill. Young eagles are mottled brown and white and take about five years to get the white head. Males and females look alike, though females are larger.
The Bald Eagle call is a surprisingly weak, high-pitched whistle and chatter, not the scream you hear in movies (that's usually the Red-tailed Hawk below).
The best viewing is late December through early February. At Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, 1,012 bald eagles were counted during a December 2025 survey, a refuge record. MDC's Eagle Days events and eagle viewing sites include Loess Bluffs, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary near West Alton, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis, Lock and Dam 24 at Clarksville, Smithville Lake, Truman Reservoir, and Table Rock Lake. Go early in the morning, when eagles are most active.
29. Red-tailed Hawk
- Family – Accipitridae
- Species – Buteo jamaicensis
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Resident Missouri Bird & Winter Migrant
The Red-tailed Hawk is the big hawk you see sitting on fence posts and light poles along Missouri highways. It hunts mice, voles, and rabbits in open fields, and northern birds join the year-round residents in winter.
Adults have a brick-red tail, a pale chest, and usually a band of dark streaks across the belly. Males and females look alike, though females are larger.
The Red-tailed Hawk call is a hoarse, screaming kee-eeee-arr, the sound Hollywood dubs over bald eagles.
Red-tails are found statewide, especially along roadsides and in farm country.
30. Snow Goose
- Family – Anatidae
- Species – Anser caerulescens
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Visitor
The Snow Goose passes through Missouri in staggering numbers, and some stay for the winter. MDC lists it as a common migrant and uncommon winter resident. They eat waste grain and plants in crop fields and wetlands, then return to the water to roost.
Most are white with black wingtips and a pink bill with a dark "grin" patch. There's also a dark form, called the "blue goose," with a gray-brown body and white head. Males and females look alike.
Snow Goose sounds are a constant, nasal honking, and a big flock sounds like a stadium letting out.
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri is the famous spot, where more than a million snow geese have been counted. Numbers peak during fall and spring migration, but flocks can be found on marshes, lakes, and crop fields statewide through winter.
31. Trumpeter Swan
- Family – Anatidae
- Species – Cygnus buccinator
- Primary Activity Time – Daytime
- Diurnal
- Winter Migrant / Visitor
The Trumpeter Swan is North America's largest native waterfowl, and it was nearly wiped out in the lower 48. Now thousands spend the winter near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. They eat aquatic plants and waste grain in nearby fields.
Adults are all white with a long neck and a solid black bill. Young birds (cygnets) are gray-brown with a pinkish bill. Males and females look alike.
The Trumpeter Swan call is a loud, deep honk that does sound a bit like a trumpet, if the trumpet player were still learning.
Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary near West Alton is the place to go. According to St. Louis Magazine's guide to the trumpeter swans at Riverlands, swans peak from mid-December to mid-January, more than 2,000 have been counted in a single day, and the best spots are Teal Pond in the morning and Ellis Bay near the Audubon Center. The swans fly out to farm fields in the early morning and come back to the water in late afternoon, so time your visit accordingly.
32. Barred Owl
- Family – Strigidae
- Species – Strix varia
- Primary Activity Time – Night
- Nocturnal
- Resident Missouri Bird
The Barred Owl is a big, round-headed owl of Missouri's river bottoms and swampy woods. It eats mice, voles, squirrels, frogs, and crayfish, and it's sometimes out hunting during the day, especially in winter.
It's gray-brown with horizontal bars across the chest, vertical streaks on the belly, and dark brown eyes. It has no ear tufts. Males and females look alike, though females are larger.
The Barred Owl call is a rhythmic who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all, and pairs sometimes break into wild duets of cackles and hoots. Late winter is a good time to hear them, since they're pairing up.
Barred owls are found statewide in Missouri in mature forests near water.
Missouri Winter Birds FAQ
What birds stay in Missouri in the winter?
Year-round residents like the Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, nuthatches, and woodpeckers stay put. They're joined by winter visitors like Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows, and Harris's Sparrows, plus irruptive birds like Pine Siskins and Red-breasted Nuthatches in some years. If you're curious what turns up across the river, see our guide to winter birds in Illinois.
What are the most common birds of Missouri at feeders in winter?
In FeederWatch's late-winter Missouri counts, the top 10 were Northern Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, House Finch, Mourning Dove, European Starling, American Goldfinch, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and White-throated Sparrow. Put out black oil sunflower, suet, and some millet on the ground, and you'll likely see most of them.
What is the best bird seed for Missouri birds in winter?
MDC's guide to feeding backyard birds says black-oil sunflower attracts the widest variety of seed-eating birds, and it advises skipping small bags of colorful mixes, which are mostly grains few birds eat. Add suet for woodpeckers and wrens, nyjer for finches, and white millet on the ground for juncos and sparrows. During long stretches of ice or snow, MDC also suggests putting out grit. And never put out bread.
Where can I see bald eagles in Missouri in winter?
Late December through early February is the best time. Top spots include Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Lock and Dam 24 at Clarksville, Smithville Lake, and Table Rock Lake. MDC and its partners hold Eagle Days events each winter with spotting scopes and live eagle programs.
Do bluebirds stay in Missouri in the winter?
Some do, mostly in the southern half of the state. The Eastern Bluebird is Missouri's state bird, and in winter it switches to berries and travels in small flocks. Open water and mealworms are the best ways to bring one to your yard. For the neighbors to the north, see our guide to winter birds in Iowa.
What Missouri Winter Birds Have You Seen?
Winter is a great time to get to know your local birds, even if it's ten minutes at the window with a coffee. Share your sightings, find birders near you, and swap eagle-spotting tips on the Sparkbird App.
And if you drive all the way to Riverlands and the swans are out in a cornfield, don't worry. They'll be back by sunset, which gives you plenty of time to warm up your hands and pretend you meant to come for the eagles.
No comments yet.