Birds in South Dakota
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in South Dakota on the USGS Breeding Bird Survey, ordered by how consistently they appear on survey routes. Monthly presence describes typical seasonal timing modeled from regional patterns, not month-by-month survey counts. The chart below shows when each is present through the year.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- American Robin Turdus migratorius
- Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
- Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
- Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
- Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
- Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
- Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
- Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
- Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
- Dickcissel Spiza americana
- Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| American Robin Turdus migratorius | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Killdeer Charadrius vociferus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| American Goldfinch Spinus tristis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Dickcissel Spiza americana | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
The South Dakota birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in South Dakota.
The complete Birds of South Dakota
The state's most-recorded birds, ranked from survey data, with when each is present through the year and a life list to keep.
Want it on paper? See the printable Birds of South Dakota.