34 Winter Birds in Wisconsin

Wisconsin winters have a way of separating casual birders from the ones who'll stand in a snowbank at 7 a.m. to look at a sparrow (hi, it's me). The good news is that most winter birds in Wisconsin come to you, so the kitchen window counts as a field trip. Even the Badger State's official bird, the American Robin, sticks around. Robins are seen year-round in southeastern Wisconsin, they just trade worms for berries and travel in winter flocks, so they're easy to miss if you're watching the lawn instead of the crabapple tree.

Types of Winter Birds in Wisconsin

There are 3 types of winter birds in Wisconsin you'll see on the list:

Irruptive Species – irregular, unpredictable movements of large numbers of birds outside their normal winter range
Resident Wisconsin Birds – found year-round and commonly visit feeders
Winter Migrants / Visitors – birds that migrate to Wisconsin for the winter. Look for them in hot spots like Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (Necedah NWR)

Each entry covers ID, male vs female, calls, where to find the bird in Wisconsin, and its feeder favorites if it visits feeders. If you're wondering where everyone else went, here's where birds go in the winter.

1. Northern Cardinal

Family – Cardinalidae
Species – Cardinalis cardinalis
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The Northern Cardinal is an omnivore that eats seeds, fruits, and insects. This canonical winter bird relies heavily on sunflower, safflower, and berries, often foraging low in shrubs and at platform feeders.

Males are vivid red with a black mask and crest. A female Northern Cardinal, on the other hand, is warm brown with an orange bill and subtle red highlights. Both the male and female Northern Cardinal have a tuft of feathers that looks like an expertly styled mohawk.

The Northern Cardinal sounds like a clear, whistled cheer‑cheer‑cheer with varied phrases. Some of the Northern Cardinal sounds and calls are to the tune of a cartoon plane dropping bombs, making it recognizable among other Wisconsin bird species.

Found statewide in Wisconsin's settled areas, woodlots, and brushy edges through winter, especially where feeders and dense cover are present. It's hard to miss if you're bird watching in Wisconsin. You can easily attract it to your yard with a simple feeder.

Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, safflower, cracked corn

2. Downy Woodpecker

Family – Picidae
Species – Dryobates pubescens
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The Downy Woodpecker is an omnivorous woodpecker taking insects, larvae, and eggs from twigs and bark, plus suet and seeds at feeders. It scales small branches and weed stems deftly.

It's a small bird with a short bill and is fairly common to see when bird watching in Wisconsin. The black‑and‑white patterning and a tiny red nape patch (males only) make it stand out against other winter birds. I recall always seeing them in my grandmother's feeders in her lilac bushes in Massachusetts.

A Downy Woodpecker call has a sharp pik note and short descending whinny trills. There are a few different sounds that you can learn to identify a Downy woodpecker call, actually. It may blend in with other Wisconsin bird sounds if you're not familiar.

Their range is widespread across Wisconsin's forests, edge habitats, and towns with other common winter birds in Wisconsin. You can attract them by keeping a suet feeder or mixed seed feeder.

Feeder favorites: suet, black oil sunflower, peanuts

3. European Starling

Family – Sturnidae
Species – Sturnus vulgaris
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Wisconsin Resident (Non-Native Species)

The European Starling is a highly adaptable and gregarious winter bird in Wisconsin. It maintains an omnivorous diet, foraging for kitchen scraps, waste grain, and lingering fruits, often outcompeting native species at suet feeders. They are known for their "murmuration" flights, where thousands of birds move as one in the winter sky.

Their winter plumage is dark with brilliant white "stars" or spots that wear away by spring. This vocal Wisconsin bird sounds like a complex series of whistles, clicks, and expert mimicry of other birds or even mechanical noises.

In Wisconsin winters, the European Starling range is ubiquitous across the state, though they congregate most heavily in urban centers and around livestock farms where food is abundant.

Feeder favorites: suet, cracked corn, kitchen scraps

4. Bald Eagle

Family – Accipitridae
Species – Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird & Migratory

The Bald Eagle is a piscivorous raptor that also scavenges carrion and takes waterfowl when opportunities arise. It gathers near fish runs and carcass sites for feeding which is why you'll find it near bodies of water.

It's a large bird with a dark body, white head and tail (in adults), and a powerful yellow bill. A Bald Eagle baby, on the other hand, is mottled and looks more like an ugly duckling.

A Bald Eagle call sounds like high‑pitched chatters. The repeating screech makes the Bald Eagle call an easy bird to ID by sound. Their wing posture is plank‑straight while soaring, and their wingspan can reach over 7 feet.

These Wisconsin birds of prey are concentrated near open, ice‑free waters across Wisconsin like Lake Michigan, Lake Winnebago, and other shorelines, rivers, and dams.

Related: Bird Watching Groups in Michigan

5. Black-capped Chickadee

Family – Paridae
Species – Poecile atricapillus
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The Black-capped Chickadee is a tiny omnivore that favors seeds, suet, and dormant insects, caching food in bark crevices. It adapts well to winter with high metabolism and flock foraging.

It's got a distinctive black cap and bib with white cheeks, soft gray body, and is constantly active.

The Black-capped Chickadee song sounds like chick‑a‑dee‑dee‑dee notes and a clear fee‑bee song on mild days. In fact, the Black-capped Chickadee call is highly varied and includes other sounds and phrases like "cheeseburger" and "hey sweetie" along with its trademark chick‑a‑dee song.

Their petite stature and coloring help with bird identification despite the many Wisconsin bird species.

This chickadee is abundant statewide with other winter birds in Wisconsin in woodlands, parks, and neighborhoods, and quick to find feeders with sunflower seed and suet.

Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, suet, peanuts

6. House Sparrow

Family – Passeridae
Species – Passer domesticus
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird (Non-Native Species)

The House Sparrow is a hardy and ubiquitous winter bird in Wisconsin. It's primarily granivorous, aggressively seeking out cracked corn, millet, and sunflower seeds at backyard feeders. They're highly social and often huddle together in thick evergreens or building eaves to conserve heat.

Males possess a distinctive black "bib," gray cap, and chestnut neck, while females are a plain, streaky buff-brown. This boisterous Wisconsin bird sounds like a repetitive, metallic cheerp or churp that can be heard throughout the day.

In Wisconsin winters, the House Sparrow range is strictly tied to human habitation, found in nearly every city, town, and farmstead across the state.

Feeder favorites: millet, cracked corn, sunflower seed

7. Wild Turkey

Family – Phasianidae
Species – Meleagris gallopavo
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The Wild Turkey is a resilient winter bird in Wisconsin. It's an omnivorous ground-feeder that scratches through snow to find acorns (mast), waste grain, and dried tubers. During harsh winters, they often form large "mega-flocks" of fifty or more birds to improve their chances of finding food.

They are unmistakable due to their massive size, bronze feathers, and fan-shaped tails. This vocal Wisconsin bird sounds like a series of social yelps, clucks, and the iconic, booming gobble used by males.

In Wisconsin winters, the Wild Turkey range is most common in the southern and central oak-hickory forests, though they have successfully expanded into the northern reaches of the state.

Related: 10 Wild Turkey Facts

8. Red-bellied Woodpecker

Family – Picidae
Species – Melanerpes carolinus
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

An omnivore that takes acorns, nuts, fruit, and insects. It frequently visits suet feeders and peanut feeders in winter, and caches food in bark and deadwood for lean times.

Pale gray face with a striking red crown and nape, laddered black‑and‑white back, and a faint pinkish belly. Calls are rolling chur notes and loud "kwirr" rattles.

Resident through much of Wisconsin, especially the woodlands, suburbs, and riparian corridors including Faville Grove Sanctuary near Lake Mills and Horicon Marsh.

Feeder favorites: suet, peanuts, black oil sunflower

9. House Finch

Family – Fringillidae
Species – Haemorhous mexicanus
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The House Finch is a common and social bird in Wisconsin. It follows a granivorous diet, primarily eating berries and small seeds. Its seed menu ranges widely, including mustard, knotweed, and dandelion. They're common at backyard stations, specifically seeking out tube feeders filled with black-oil sunflower or nyjer seed.

Males feature a bright rosy-red wash over the face and upper breast, while females are plain brown with blurry streaks. This social Wisconsin bird sounds like a lively, high-pitched warble that often ends in a distinctive upward-slurring note.

In Wisconsin winters, the House Finch range is most dense in southern and central suburban areas where bird feeders and ornamental shrubbery provide consistent food and shelter.

Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, nyjer

10. Blue Jay

Family – Corvidae
Species – Cyanocitta cristata
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

An omnivorous corvid that eats acorns, seeds, fruits, and insects. It is a regular at peanut and sunflower feeders. Jays cache nuts and broadcast alarm calls around predators.

Female vs Male Blue Jay: both are nearly identical with bold blue plumage and a black necklace with crisp white underparts. Male and female Blue Jay birds are bold, noisy, and social. One difference to tell apart the males from females is their slightly larger size. They also share domestic duties (i.e. building the nest).

A Blue Jay call ranges from jeer alarms to soft whistles and uncanny hawk imitation, all with a flat or falling call pattern. To the novice birder a Blue Jay call can sound like a crow. The Blue Jay mating call is more melodic and cheery.

This year‑round resident can be found mingling with winter birds in Wisconsin in mixed woodlands, neighborhoods, and edge habitats.

Feeder favorites: peanuts, black oil sunflower, suet

Related: 5 Best Winter Bird Houses of 2025

11. Common Merganser

Family – Anatidae
Species – Mergus merganser
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident / Winter Migrant

The Common Merganser is a sleek, "saw-billed" winter bird in Wisconsin. It's a piscivorous diving duck that hunts fish in the frigid, open currents of rivers and the Great Lakes. They're often seen floating in long lines or "rafts" in the middle of moving water.

Males are striking with crisp white bodies and dark, iridescent green heads while females (often called "red-heads") have shaggy cinnamon crests. They couldn't look more opposite. This hardy Wisconsin bird's call sounds like a low, harsh croak, though they are generally silent during the winter months.

In Wisconsin winters, the Common Merganser's range is restricted to any ice-free water, particularly the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers and the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

Related: 12 Weird Ducks and Where to Find Them

12. American Robin

Family – Turdidae
Species – Turdus migratorius
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Wisconsin State Bird (resident)

The American Robin is a surprising but regular winter bird in Wisconsin. While many migrate, those that stay shift to a strictly frugivorous diet, moving in large, nomadic flocks to find cedar berries, crabapples, and staghorn sumac. They rarely visit feeders unless offered softened raisins or hulled sunflower seeds.

American Robins are easily recognized by their warm orange breast and dark gray back. This familiar Wisconsin bird sounds like a series of low, tut-tutting alarm calls in winter, a sharp contrast to their melodic "cheerily-cheer-up" spring song.

In Wisconsin winters, the American Robin range is tied to fruit availability, often found in cedar swamps, river bottoms, and suburban neighborhoods with heavy ornamental fruit plantings. Make sure to put some fruit in your backyard feeders if you want to attract them.

Feeder favorites: softened raisins, chopped fruit, hulled sunflower

13. Northern Saw-whet Owl

Family – Strigidae
Species – Aegolius acadicus
Primary Activity Time – Night
Nocturnal
Winter Migrant / Visitor

Andy Witchger (license)

The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a tiny, secretive winter bird in Wisconsin. It's a carnivorous raptor that preys almost exclusively on small mammals and hides in dense evergreens during the day to avoid detection. Its small size and tendency to "roost" at eye level make it a prized find for winter hikers.

These birds of prey have large, yellow eyes and a white "V" between their eyes, lacking the ear tufts found on larger owls. This elusive Wisconsin bird sounds like a rhythmic high-pitched too-too-too whistle or series of short beacon beeps. They're often silent during the winter months.

In Wisconsin winters, the Northern Saw-whet Owl range is focused in dense coniferous stands and cedar swamps throughout the state, where they seek thermal cover from the wind. Read more about this tiny owl from the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance.

14. Tufted Titmouse

Family – Paridae
Species – Baeolophus bicolor
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

A small omnivore that feeds on seeds, nuts, and insects, frequently visiting sunflower and peanut feeders in winter. It often travels with chickadee‑led mixed flocks.

Gray with a neat crest, big black eyes, buffy flanks, and sports a gray faux-hawk / mohawk. The female Tufted Titmouse is identical to the male.

The Tufted Titmouse call is a clear peter‑peter‑peter song and the occasional scolding calls. Many people find the Tufted Titmouse song melodic and seek it out in birding. Its distinct sound makes the tufted titmouse a great bird to ID by sound.

A Tufted Titmouse nest is often in a tree cavity or birdhouse, so you can create an inviting habitat by putting out a bird house for them.

Tufted Titmouse range in Wisconsin is in parks, yards, and many wooded areas.

Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, peanuts, suet

15. Northern Shrike

Family – Laniidae
Species – Lanius borealis
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Migratory / Visitor

The Northern Shrike is a carnivorous songbird that hunts small birds and mammals known to impale prey on thorns for later feeding. They're gray above with a black mask and hooked bill. Its gray-white coloring can make it difficult to tell apart from other winter birds in Wisconsin.

Northern Shrike calls are harsh scolds with occasional varied whistles and mimicry. Some of its sounds are melodic, while others are short cheeps like a squeaker toy.

It's a regular but scarce winter visitor to Wisconsin's open country, most frequent in wetlands and hedgerows like Faville Grove, Crex Meadows, and along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Manitowoc.

Related: 34 Winter Birds in Michigan

16. Horned Lark

Family – Alaudidae
Species – Eremophila alpestris
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Migratory / Visitor

The Horned Lark is a ground‑foraging granivore that eats weed seeds, waste grain, and small insects on sunny winter days. It prefers bare, windswept terrain. They are buff‑brown above with a pale face and black mask and tiny 'horns' of feathers.

The Horned Lark call is tinkling and sweet, or piercing, depending on who you ask. It's another bird call that's hard to tell apart from other winter birds in Wisconsin if there are enough birds around.

Found in Wisconsin's open, sparse habitats like airfields, dunes, stubble fields, and plowed flats. If you want to see it while bird watching in Wisconsin this winter go where snow cover is minimal.

17. American Kestrel

Family – Falconidae
Species – Falco sparverius
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Partial Migrant

The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon and a colorful winter bird in Wisconsin. It is a carnivorous hunter that "hovers" over open ground to spot large insects and small rodents in the snow. While many migrate, some individuals remain in southern Wisconsin throughout the winter if food is available.

Males feature slate-blue wings and a rusty back, while females are reddish-brown throughout. Both sexes have bold black "mustache" stripes on their faces. This tiny but fierce Wisconsin bird sounds like a rapid, shrill klee-klee-klee call.

In Wisconsin winters this bird of prey's range is most common in southern agricultural counties, often seen perched on power lines along rural roadsides.

Learn more about American Kestrels in Wisconsin through the nesting program at Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and Central Wisconsin Kestrel Research.

18. Snow Bunting

Family – Calcariidae
Species – Plectrophenax nivalis
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Migratory / Visitor

The Snow Bunting is granivorous in winter, picking grass and weed seeds on windswept ground and shorelines, but also takes small invertebrates in thaws.

It sports white and brown patterned plumage in winter with black and white in males by spring. The Snow Bunting's coloring makes it tricky to identify among other winter birds in Wisconsin but the yellow-brown effused coloring on the female's breast can help tell it apart.

A Snow Bunting call is mostly dry trills. Its twittering and chirps make it a more difficult bird to ID by sound alone.

The Snow Bunting likes to settle in exposed, snowy expanses forming large, conspicuous winter flocks. You can find it in southern Wisconsin in open fields, shorelines, and farm country including Faville Grove and Goose Pond Sanctuary.

19. Red-tailed Hawk

Family – Accipitridae
Species – Buteo jamaicensis
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The Red-tailed Hawk is a large, conspicuous winter bird in Wisconsin. It's a carnivorous raptor, primarily hunting small mammals like voles and mice in snow covered fields. It is frequently seen perched on roadside high-tension wires or lone trees overlooking open terrain.

Adults are identified by their broad, rounded wings and a hallmark cinnamon-red upper tail. This majestic Wisconsin bird sounds like a hoarse, screaming keee-aaaaah that is often used in movies to represent eagles.

This Wisconsin bird of prey's range is most visible along highway corridors and agricultural plains where the wind sweeps snow thin making it easier to spot prey.

20. White-throated Sparrow

Family – Passerellidae
Species – Zonotrichia albicollis
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Uncommon Winter Resident (southern Wisconsin)

The White-throated Sparrow is a crisp-patterned winter bird in Wisconsin, though an uncommon one. It is primarily granivorous during the winter, scratching through leaf litter or snow for fallen seeds. They are frequent visitors to platform feeders or ground-feeding stations.

These birds are distinguished by a bright white throat patch and yellow "lores" (the area between the eye and beak). This melodic Wisconsin bird sounds like a clear, whistled song often described as Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody-Peabody, or Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada.

In Wisconsin winters, the White-throated Sparrow range is mostly the southern half of the state, where a few linger in brush piles and thickets that offer protection from the wind. Up north, White-throated Sparrows are extremely rare in winter, so most of the ones you meet there are spring and fall migrants.

Feeder favorites: millet, sunflower chips, cracked corn scattered on the ground

21. Sharp-shinned Hawk

Family – Accipitridae
Species – Accipiter striatus
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Partial Migrant

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small, agile winter bird in Wisconsin. It is a specialized carnivorous hunter that preys primarily on songbirds, often using the cover of backyard shrubbery to ambush birds at feeding stations. They are the smallest hawks of their kind in the state, built for high-speed maneuvering through dense branches.

Adults have a dark blue-gray back and a barred orange-red breast, looking very similar to the larger Cooper's Hawk but with a squared-off tail tip. An easy way for me to tell them apart is the sharp shinned has a short, fat, neck compared to the Cooper's hawk. This stealthy Wisconsin bird sounds like a high, thin kik-kik-kik, though it is usually silent when hunting near homes.

In Wisconsin winters, the Sharp-shinned Hawk range is widespread, though they are most frequently encountered in suburban backyards where bird feeders concentrate their prey.

22. Red-headed Woodpecker

Family – Picidae
Species – Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Uncommon in Winter (oak woods in good acorn years)

The Red-headed Woodpecker is a striking and bold bird, but an uncommon winter bird in Wisconsin, since most head south for the season. It is an omnivore that is unique for its habit of caching acorns and beech nuts in tree cavities to survive the winter. The ones that stay depend heavily on the success of the autumn "mast" (nut) crop.

Adults are unmistakable with a completely crimson head, a snow-white belly, and large white wing patches that flash brilliantly in flight. This social Wisconsin bird sounds like a harsh, raspy kwrr or chur call that carries well through leafless winter woods.

In Wisconsin winters, the Red-headed Woodpecker range is limited to oak savannas and river bottoms in the central and southern portions of the state, and mostly in years with a good acorn crop. When the mast crop fails, expect to see few or none.

Feeder favorites: suet

23. Snowy Owl

Family – Strigidae
Species – Bubo scandiacus
Primary Activity Time – Dusk
Nocturnal
Irruptive

The Snowy Owl is a powerful Arctic bird of prey that mainly eats small mammals, especially lemming‑like rodents. Along coasts it will also take waterfowl and shorebirds but in wintering areas it hunts from open perches and ground vantage points.

They're a large pale white owl, easy to miss against a snowy background. You may know the Snowy Owl from Harry Potter named Hedwig. Hedwig is actually a female Snowy Owl in the books but is portrayed by a male Snowy Owl in the Harry Potter movies. Young or female Snowy Owls show heavier dark barring, whereas adult males can appear nearly pure white.

Snowy Owl size varies in that females are usually larger than males, and their wingspan can reach near 5.5 feet. The call is a booming double hoot despite many winter birds being often silent and relying on visual hunting at low light.

In Wisconsin, Snowy Owl range spans the open shorelines, airports, farm fields, and coastal areas of the Great Lakes, especially along Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

24. Red-breasted Nuthatch

Family – Sittidae
Species – Sitta canadensis
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident / Irruptive

Andrew Cannizzaro (license)

The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small, energetic winter bird in Wisconsin. It is a granivorous and insectivorous species that favors conifer seeds and will frequently visit feeders for suet and shelled peanuts. Its tiny size and habit of crawling head-first down tree trunks make it a favorite in winter woodlots.

Males show a blue-gray back and a vibrant rusty-cinnamon breast with a sharp black eye stripe, while females are slightly duller. This active Wisconsin bird sounds like a high-pitched, nasal yank-yank, often compared to a tiny toy tin trumpet.

In Wisconsin winters, the Red-breasted Nuthatch range is widespread, though they are most concentrated in northern evergreen forests or near feeders with mature pine trees. It's considered a year-round resident, but large numbers can move south when cone crops fail.

Feeder favorites: suet, shelled peanuts, black oil sunflower

25. Pine Siskin

Family – Fringillidae
Species – Spinus pinus
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Diurnal
Irruptive

The Pine Siskin is a strongly granivorous bird with a fine bill. It often feeds on conifer seeds, alders, and birches, and readily visits nyjer seed and sunflower chips at feeders. It supplements with small insects in mild spells.

They're streaky brown with subtle yellow flashes in the wings and tail.

A Pine Siskin call is buzzy, often giving rising "zreee" sounds and chatter. They roam widely with cone availability. Their appearance won't make them easy amidst Wisconsin bird identification but their call makes them a slightly easier bird to ID by sound.

Its appearances among the winter birds in Wisconsin during irruptions can vary year to year. Numbers can build statewide in irruption winters making the Pine Siskin range quite expansive as they flock to conifer stands and well‑stocked feeders, and it can be an uncommon summer resident in Wisconsin's conifer forests.

Feeder favorites: nyjer, sunflower chips

26. Evening Grosbeak

Family – Fringillidae
Species – Coccothraustes vespertinus
Primary Activity Time – Dawn and Dusk
Crepuscular
Irruptive

A powerful seed‑cracker with a massive conical bill, the Evening Grosbeak is chiefly granivorous and also takes buds and berries. In winter it concentrates at feeders with platform space and abundant sunflower seed. An Evening Grosbeak diet normally includes maple keys and boxelder samaras, too.

Males are boldly golden‑yellow with black wings and a crisp white wing patch while female Evening Grosbeaks are gray‑brown with softer yellow tones. The Evening Grosbeak call is one of the most standout of all Wisconsin bird sounds on our list. Their loud, flute-like "cheer up" and "cleep" sounds make them an easy bird to ID by sound.

Irruptions bring birds widely into northern Wisconsin, most reliably in the north woods and towns of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower on a platform feeder

27. Dark-eyed Junco

Family – Passerellidae
Species – Junco hyemalis
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Winter Migrant / Visitor

The Dark-eyed Junco is the original snowbird, except it heads to Wisconsin for the winter, which tells you a lot about where it spends the summer. Most breed in the forests of Canada and arrive in fall to hop around under feeders, picking up seeds that messier birds drop.

Wisconsin's juncos are the "slate-colored" type: gray above, white belly, and a pale pink bill. Males are a darker, crisper slate gray, while females are a softer gray washed with brown. Both flash bright white outer tail feathers when they fly off.

The Dark-eyed Junco call is a sharp tick or smack, and the song is a quick, musical trill.

In Wisconsin winters, the Dark-eyed Junco range is statewide, in yards, woodland edges, and brushy fields, usually in small flocks on the ground.

Feeder favorites: millet, cracked corn, sunflower chips scattered on the ground

28. American Goldfinch

Family – Fringillidae
Species – Spinus tristis
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The American Goldfinch is a small, seed-loving finch that sticks around all winter, just in a much quieter outfit. Summer's lemon yellow gives way to a buffy, olive-brown winter coat, which is either quiet luxury or a very convincing disguise.

In winter, males keep a yellowish wash on the face and throat and bold black wings with white bars, while females are duller and grayer. Both have a short, pale, cone-shaped bill built for seeds.

The American Goldfinch call is a bouncy flight call often written as po-ta-to-chip, given as the birds dip up and down in flight.

In Wisconsin winters, the American Goldfinch range is statewide, in weedy fields, woodland edges, and anywhere with a tube feeder.

Feeder favorites: nyjer, sunflower chips, black oil sunflower

29. White-breasted Nuthatch

Family – Sittidae
Species – Sitta carolinensis
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The White-breasted Nuthatch is the bigger, calmer cousin of the Red-breasted Nuthatch, and it spends most of its winter upside down on tree trunks (roughly how I feel by February). It wedges seeds and nuts into bark and hacks them open, which is where the name "nuthatch" comes from.

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 show a grayer or duller cap.

The White-breasted Nuthatch call is a nasal yank or quank, lower and less tinny than the Red-breasted Nuthatch.

In Wisconsin winters, the White-breasted Nuthatch range is statewide in deciduous woods, parks, and yards with mature trees, often traveling with chickadees and titmice.

Feeder favorites: black oil sunflower, peanuts, suet

30. Mourning Dove

Family – Columbidae
Species – Zenaida macroura
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident / Partial Migrant

The Mourning Dove is not, despite how often it's misspelled, a morning dove, though it is up early. It's a ground-feeding seed eater that fills its crop quickly and then flies off to digest in peace, which is a dining strategy I respect.

It's a slim, soft gray-brown bird with black spots on the wings and a long, pointed tail. Males have a faint rosy breast and a bluish-gray crown, while females are a bit browner overall.

The Mourning Dove call is a soft, sad coo-OO-oo-oo-oo that people often mistake for an owl. Their wings also make a whistling sound when they take off.

In Wisconsin winters, the Mourning Dove range is statewide but densest in the farm country and suburbs of southern and central Wisconsin, where they gather in flocks around feeders.

Feeder favorites: millet, cracked corn, black oil sunflower on a platform or the ground

31. Hairy Woodpecker

Family – Picidae
Species – Dryobates villosus
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident Wisconsin Bird

The Hairy Woodpecker looks like the Downy Woodpecker: same outfit, bigger budget. It's an omnivore that digs insects and larvae out of bark and readily visits feeders for suet and seeds in winter.

The best way to tell it from the Downy 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 loud, sharp peek, stronger than the Downy's pik, plus a rattling whinny.

In Wisconsin winters, the Hairy Woodpecker range is statewide in mature forests, woodlots, and wooded neighborhoods.

Feeder favorites: suet, black oil sunflower, peanuts

32. American Crow

Family – Corvidae
Species – Corvus brachyrhynchos
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Resident / Partial Migrant

The American Crow is a smart, social omnivore that eats almost anything, from waste grain and carrion to insects and scraps. Crows can remember individual human faces, which is more than I can say for myself at parties.

They're all black, from the bill to the feet, with a squared-off tail. Male and female American Crows look alike.

The American Crow call is the classic caw-caw, plus a whole range of rattles and clicks.

In Wisconsin winters, the American Crow range is statewide, and crows often gather in large communal night roosts in towns and cities before spreading out to feed by day.

Feeder favorites: peanuts, cracked corn

33. American Tree Sparrow

Family – Passerellidae
Species – Spizelloides arborea
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Winter Migrant / Visitor

The American Tree Sparrow is a winter visitor from the far north, and despite the name, it spends most of its time on the ground. (Bird names are a bit 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 (dark on top, yellow below), and a dark spot in the center 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.

In Wisconsin winters, the American Tree Sparrow range covers open country across the state, including weedy fields, hedgerows, marsh edges, and backyards with brush piles.

Feeder favorites: millet, cracked corn scattered on the ground

34. Redpoll

Family – Fringillidae
Species – Acanthis flammea
Primary Activity Time – Daytime
Diurnal
Irruptive

You may know it as the Common Redpoll or the Hoary Redpoll, but in 2024 the American Ornithological Society lumped them into a single species: the Redpoll. Three birds became one, which is the closest the bird world gets to an ABBA reunion. Redpolls are one of the irruptive winter finches the Wisconsin DNR watches for, showing up in big numbers some winters and barely at all in others.

It's a small, streaky finch with a red cap (the "poll") and a black chin. Males have a rosy-pink wash on the breast, while females are streakier and lack the pink. Some birds are much frostier and paler than others, which is where the old Hoary Redpoll name came from.

The Redpoll call is a dry, rattling chit-chit-chit and a rising, buzzy zweee.

In Wisconsin winters, the Redpoll range depends on the year, with the biggest flocks usually in northern Wisconsin, on birch and alder seeds and at feeders.

Feeder favorites: nyjer, sunflower chips

Wisconsin Winter Birds FAQ

What birds stay in Wisconsin in the winter?

Year-round residents like the Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, and White-breasted Nuthatch stay put. They're joined by winter visitors from the north, like Dark-eyed Juncos, American Tree Sparrows, and Snow Buntings, plus irruptive finches in some years. For a neighboring state's version of the list, see our guide to winter birds in Minnesota.

What birds are at Wisconsin feeders in winter?

The usual crowd is chickadees, juncos, goldfinches, cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers, Blue Jays, and Mourning Doves. In Project FeederWatch's Great Lakes rankings, Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinch, and White-breasted Nuthatch all rank in the top 10. If you're still picking a setup, start with our guide to everything you need to know about bird feeders.

Do robins stay in Wisconsin in winter?

Some do. The American Robin has been Wisconsin's official state bird since 1949, and robins are seen year-round in southeastern Wisconsin, where they form winter flocks in the woods and eat berries. You'll find them in fruiting trees, not on your lawn.

What is the best bird seed for winter in Wisconsin?

According to the Wisconsin DNR, black oil sunflower is the best single seed for attracting the most species. Add suet for woodpeckers and nuthatches, nyjer for finches, and millet on the ground for juncos and sparrows. Never put out bread, which has little nutrition for birds. For more options, see our bird food 101 guide, and keep in mind that a shallow, heated water source matters as much as seed when everything is frozen.

Which owls winter in Wisconsin?

Great Horned and Barred Owls live in Wisconsin year-round, Northern Saw-whet Owls hide in dense evergreens, and Snowy Owls arrive from the Arctic in some winters. Great Horned Owls earned legendary status at my cousin's lake house after one snatched a freshly caught fish right out of a friend's hand, so I keep an eye on my lunch near the water.

What birds have you seen in Wisconsin lately?

Share them on the Sparkbird App. Available in the Apple App Store.

Related: How to Use the Sparkbird App

And if you spend all winter waiting for a Snowy Owl and it never shows, it's not you. It's the lemmings.

Happy Birding!