Top 15 Birds in Iowa

Iowa is home to a diverse array of bird species that brighten the skies and enrich ecosystems across the state. Here are 15 remarkable birds that you’re likely to encounter in Iowa.

1. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

• Description: A small, vibrant yellow bird with black wings and cap during breeding season. Males are especially bright in summer.
• Habitat: Open fields, meadows, and gardens where thistle and sunflowers grow.
• Ecosystem Services: Important seed dispersers and help control plant populations.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

2. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

• Description: A medium-sized songbird with bright blue upperparts and reddish-orange breast.
• Habitat: Open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect control as they feed heavily on beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

3. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

• Description: A striking red bird with a black face mask and crest on the head.
• Habitat: Woodlands, gardens, and shrublands.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed dispersal and insect control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

4. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

• Description: A large raptor with a reddish-brown tail and broad wings.
• Habitat: Open fields, prairies, and forest edges.
• Ecosystem Services: Predator of rodents and small mammals, helping control populations.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

5. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

• Description: Iconic large bird with a white head and tail, and dark brown body and wings.
• Habitat: Near lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
• Ecosystem Services: Scavenger and predator, helps maintain ecosystem balance.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (after significant recovery efforts)

6. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

• Description: Familiar songbird with a red-orange breast and gray back.
• Habitat: Yards, gardens, forests, and parks.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls insect populations and spreads seeds.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

7. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

• Description: Sleek bird with glossy blue-black upperparts, long forked tail, and reddish throat.
• Habitat: Open fields, farms, and near water bodies.
• Ecosystem Services: Major consumer of flying insects like mosquitoes.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

8. Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)

• Description: Small woodpecker with black and white patterning and a small red patch on males’ heads.
• Habitat: Deciduous forests, orchards, and suburban areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls tree pests and helps create nesting sites for other species.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

9. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

• Description: Large owl with prominent ear tufts and deep hooting call.
• Habitat: Woodlands, swamps, and urban parks.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls populations of small mammals and other birds.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

10. Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

• Description: Males are vivid blue during breeding season; females are brownish.
• Habitat: Brushy edges, fields, and woodland clearings.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed dispersal and insect population control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

11. Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

• Description: Sleek bird with silky brown plumage, black mask, and yellow-tipped tail.
• Habitat: Woodlands, orchards, and suburban areas with fruiting trees.
• Ecosystem Services: Spreads seeds of fruiting plants.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

12. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

• Description: Medium-sized plover with two black chest bands and a loud, shrill call.
• Habitat: Fields, shorelines, and gravelly areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls insect and invertebrate populations.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

13. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

• Description: Large woodpecker with spotted plumage and a bright yellow or red underwing flash in flight.
• Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, and urban parks.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls ants and other ground insects.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

14. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

• Description: The largest native waterfowl in North America, all white with a long neck and black bill.
• Habitat: Lakes, wetlands, and large ponds.
• Ecosystem Services: Aquatic vegetation control and wetland health indicator.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (recovering from historical declines)

15. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

• Description: Small, brown songbird with a bubbly, energetic song and upright tail.
• Habitat: Gardens, woodlots, and suburban areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Helps control insects and pests in gardens and orchards.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern