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This page is devoted to providing photos and a brief account of unusual birds found recently in Minnesota. We welcome digital images of unusual species recorded in the state (click above on Upload Image).
Please note that all identifications posted here should be considered tentative until the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union Records Committee has had the opportunity to evaluate the relevant documentation.
This page will be updated as frequently, or as infrequently, as unusual records occur.
'Rare Regular' in Minnesota
Seen in the SE corner of Runholt's Slough, just south of Cottonwood at the jct. of MN Hwy 23 & 370th St. South, Lyon County, (44.5869560, -95.6929585) on 23 April. First reported by Nolan Meyer. Interestingly, after another birder had seen this post, he stated that he had seen a member of this species "at the exact same location" on 21 April, 2024.
Lon Baumgardt
'Casual' in Minnesota - First record for Clay County
Found by Dennis Wiesenborn, also observed by Diane Wiesenborn, but not subsequently relocated by other birders. Habitat: pocket prairie/riparian woodland interface, Moorhead, MN (address: 505 11th Ave. N.). Behavior: remained at or close to ground throughout a viewing period of about 10 minutes; a few chips were heard, but no song. Weather: cool and blustery.
Dennis P Wiesenborn, Nikon P950
'Casual' in Minnesota - First record for Polk County in the Spring season
First found by Kim Eckert at the sewage treatment ponds at McIntosh, then refound several hours later by Brad Abendroth at Erskine's sewage ponds. This image was captured just before sunset.
Lon Baumgardt
'Casual' in Minnesota - First record for Nobles County
One of two seen with two White-faced and one unidentified Plegadis sp. at Peterson WMA near the MN border with Iowa. First reported on 22 April by Luke Hollander and Josh Watson.
Lon Baumgardt
'Rare Regular' in Minnesota - First record for Koochiching County
Rainy River, north end of CR 123.
Allan Meadows
Previous "Good Birds" | ||||||||||||||||
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| Species | Type | Occ | County | Date | Submitter | ||||
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White-winged Dove | R | Chisago | 2025-04-08 | Lon Baumgardt | |
| Barrow's Goldeneye | R | Pine | 2025-04-06 | Lon Baumgardt | |||||
| Northern Mockingbird | R | # | Benton | 2025-03-28 | Tom Gilde | ||||
| Cinnamon Teal | R | Le Sueur | 2025-03-25 | Gerald Hoekstra | |||||
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Great Gray Owl | R | # | Hubbard | 2025-03-18 | Allan Meadows |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow | R | # | Olmsted | 2025-03-17 | Michael Henry | ||||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | A | Ramsey | 2025-03-11 | Tom Gilde | |||||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | A | Ramsey | 2025-03-11 | Andrew Nyhus | |||||
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Great Gray Owl | R | # | Red Lake | 2025-03-11 | Paula Cater |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | A | Ramsey | 2025-03-09 | Tom Gilde | |||||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | A | Ramsey | 2025-03-08 | Robert M. Dunlap | |||||
| Merlin (Prairie) | Q | Nobles | 2025-03-02 | Brian T. Smith | |||||
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Boreal Owl | R | # | Aitkin | 2025-03-01 | Brandon Lentz |
| Mottled Duck | A | Hennepin | 2025-02-28 | Matthew Hoberg | |||||
| Black-backed Woodpecker | R | U | St. Louis | 2025-02-23 | Gerald Hoekstra | ||||
| Great Gray Owl | R | O | Pennington | 2025-02-23 | Heidi Hughes | ||||
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Boreal Owl | R | O | Cook | 2025-02-15 | Jean Brislance |
| Great Gray Owl | R | O | Hennepin | 2025-02-04 | Isabella Maiwurm | ||||
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow | R | # | Otter Tail | 2025-02-05 | Les Gunderson | ||||
| Northern Hawk Owl | R | O | Koochiching | 2025-02-03 | David Harrington | ||||
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Boreal Owl | R | O | St. Louis | 2025-01-31 | Gerald Hoekstra |
| Short-eared Owl | R | # | Redwood | 2025-01-30 | Brian T. Smith | ||||
| Boreal Owl | R | O | St. Louis | 2025-01-29 | Tom Gilde | ||||
| Mottled Duck | A | Dakota | 2025-01-26 | Andrew Nyhus | |||||
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Brewer's Blackbird | R | Red Lake | 2025-01-24 | Paula Cater | |
| Barrow's Goldeneye | R | O | St. Louis | 2025-01-23 | Peter Mundale | ||||
| Boreal Owl | R | O | St. Louis | 2025-01-14 | Peter Mundale | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Q | # | Otter Tail | 2025-01-08 | Les Gunderson | ||||
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Boreal Owl | R | O | St. Louis | 2025-01-04 | Kathy Carroll |
| Tundra Swan | R | Lake | 2025-01-05 | Brandon Lentz | |||||
| Eastern Bluebird | R | # | Clay | 2025-01-02 | Patrick B. Beauzay | ||||
| Spotted Towhee | R | # | Anoka | 2025-01-01 | Peter Mundale | ||||
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Townsend's Solitaire | R | # | Benton | 2024-12-24 | Matthew Scott |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | R | # | Anoka | 2024-12-20 | David Elfelt | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Krider's) | Q | Carver | 2024-12-15 | Britt Dalbec | |||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Q | O | Meeker | 2024-12-18 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
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American White Pelican | R | # | Rice | 2024-12-14 | Gerald Hoekstra |
| Varied Thrush | R | # | Marshall | 2024-12-12 | Heidi Hughes | ||||
| Hermit Thrush | R | # | Redwood | 2024-12-06 | Brian T. Smith | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Q | O | Meeker | 2024-12-04 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
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Mute Swan | R | Otter Tail | 2024-12-01 | Les Gunderson | |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | C | Anoka | 2024-11-26 | Gerald Hoekstra | |||||
| Snowy Owl | R | # | Rice | 2024-11-24 | Gerald Hoekstra | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Northern) | Q | Nobles | 2024-11-22 | Brian T. Smith | |||||
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Black-throated Gray Warbler | C | Anoka | 2024-11-11 | Michelle Terrell | |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | R | # | Kittson | 2024-11-10 | Heidi Hughes | ||||
| Townsend's Solitaire | R | # | Renville | 2024-11-10 | Brian T. Smith | ||||
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | C | Anoka | 2024-11-10 | Tate Putman | |||||
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Red-tailed Hawk (Krider's) | Q | Dakota | 2024-11-08 | Heidi Hermes | |
| Northern Mockingbird | R | # | Benton | 2024-11-08 | Howard Towle | ||||
| Groove-billed Ani | A | Polk | 2024-11-01 | Heidi Hughes | |||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Q | Cook | 2024-11-04 | Jean Brislance | |||||
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Arctic Tern | A | Crow Wing | 2024-11-02 | Lon Baumgardt | |
| Western Tanager | R | Lake | 2024-10-26 | Lon Baumgardt | |||||
| Western Cattle-Egret | R | # | Hubbard | 2024-10-28 | KELLY DEAN KRABBENHOFT | ||||
| Western Tanager | R | Lake | 2024-10-26 | Isadora McGinley Myers | |||||
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Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | C | O | Cook | 2024-10-27 | Lon Baumgardt |
| Sage Thrasher | C | Lake | 2024-10-26 | Lon Baumgardt | |||||
| Whooping Crane | A | Wilkin | 2024-10-22 | Lon Baumgardt | |||||
| Arctic Tern | A | Ramsey | 2024-10-10 | Tom Gilde | |||||
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Arctic Tern | A | Ramsey | 2024-10-10 | Roy Zimmerman | |
| Red Phalarope | C | # | Hennepin | 2024-10-08 | Lon Baumgardt | ||||
| Arctic Tern | A | Ramsey | 2024-10-08 | Brad Abendroth | |||||
| Swallow-tailed Kite | C | Sherburne | 2024-08-11 | Michael Metcalf | |||||
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Western Cattle-Egret | R | O | Polk | 2024-10-04 | Heidi Hughes |
| Sabine's Gull | R | # | Stevens | 2024-09-22 | Tate Putman | ||||
| Black-throated Blue Warbler | R | U | Fillmore | 2024-09-22 | Todd Mitchell | ||||
| Gray-cheeked Thrush | R | O | Koochiching | 2024-09-15 | Allan Meadows | ||||
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Whooping Crane | A | Steele | 2024-09-15 | Linda Schwegman | |
| Sabine's Gull | R | Renville | 2024-09-15 | Tate Putman | |||||
| Western Cattle-Egret | R | U | Faribault | 2024-09-08 | Linda Schwegman | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk (Krider's) | Q | Red Lake | 2024-08-12 | Paula Cater | |||||
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Blue Grosbeak | R | Sibley | 2024-08-04 | Trey Weaver | |
| Western Cattle-Egret | R | O | Grant | 2024-08-02 | Lon Baumgardt | ||||
| Henslow's Sparrow | R | U | Rice | 2024-07-07 | Gerald Hoekstra | ||||
| American Pipit | R | # | Cook | 2024-06-27 | Lon Baumgardt | ||||
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Henslow's Sparrow | R | U | Rice | 2024-06-20 | Gerald Hoekstra |
| Semipalmated Plover | R | # | Koochiching | 2024-06-16 | Allan Meadows | ||||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | R | Dakota | 2024-06-01 | Kathy Carroll | |||||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | R | # | Carver | 2024-06-14 | Trey Weaver | ||||
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Pine Siskin | R | O | Meeker | 2024-06-11 | Paul and Koni Fank |
| Western Kingbird | R | # | Sibley | 2024-06-08 | Douglas W. Kieser | ||||
| American Golden-Plover | R | # | Koochiching | 2024-05-16 | Allan Meadows | ||||
| Marbled Godwit | R | # | Koochiching | 2024-05-16 | Allan Meadows | ||||
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Eurasian Tree Sparrow | R | # | Fillmore | 2024-05-15 | Gerald Hoekstra |
| Bullock's Oriole | C | # | Washington | 2024-05-13 | Zoe Newell-Hickman | ||||
| Common Raven | R | # | McLeod | 2024-05-13 | Britt Dalbec | ||||
| Cinnamon Teal | R | # | Murray | 2024-05-11 | Roy Zimmerman | ||||
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Summer Tanager | R | O | Ramsey | 2024-05-12 | Michael J. Majeski |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) | Q | Cook | 2024-05-05 | Jean Brislance | |||||
| Snowy Egret | R | O | Rice | 2024-05-04 | Gerald Hoekstra | ||||
| White-faced Ibis | R | O | Meeker | 2024-05-04 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
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Willet | R | # | Koochiching | 2024-05-04 | Allan Meadows |
| Willet | R | # | Beltrami | 2024-05-02 | David Harrington | ||||
| Snowy Egret | R | O | Scott | 2024-05-02 | Aaron Pietsch | ||||
| Western Cattle-Egret | R | O | Steele | 2024-04-27 | Kathy Carroll | ||||
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Piping Plover | R | # | Washington | 2024-04-26 | Kyle Te Poel |
| Garganey | A | # | Cottonwood | 2024-04-24 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
| Henslow's Sparrow | R | U | Brown | 2024-04-22 | Brian T. Smith | ||||
| Iceland Gull (Thayer's) | Q | McLeod | 2024-04-21 | Brad Abendroth | |||||
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Brambling | C | # | Otter Tail | 2024-04-17 | Les Gunderson |
| Black-necked Stilt | R | O | Faribault | 2024-04-18 | Kathy Carroll | ||||
| Cinnamon Teal | R | # | Scott | 2024-04-17 | Conny M. Brunell | ||||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | R | # | Meeker | 2024-04-15 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
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Townsend's Solitaire | R | O | Hennepin | 2024-04-11 | Matthew Hoberg |
| Carolina Wren | R | # | St. Louis | 2024-04-10 | Lon Baumgardt | ||||
| Western Cattle-Egret | R | O | Hennepin | 2024-04-09 | Matthew Hoberg | ||||
| Black-necked Stilt | R | # | Carver | 2024-04-09 | Britt Dalbec | ||||
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Red-tailed Hawk (Harlan's) | Q | McLeod | 2024-04-04 | Britt Dalbec | |
| Purple Martin | R | C | Beltrami | 2024-03-15 | Brian Hiller | ||||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Q | Cook | 2024-03-10 | Jean Brislance | |||||
| Common Raven | R | # | McLeod | 2024-03-09 | Britt Dalbec | ||||
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Greater White-fronted Goose | R | # | Meeker | 2024-02-26 | Paul and Koni Fank |
| Greater White-fronted Goose | R | O | McLeod | 2024-02-26 | Britt Dalbec | ||||
| Merlin (Prairie) | Q | McLeod | 2024-02-21 | Britt Dalbec | |||||
| Fox Sparrow | R | O | Meeker | 2024-02-19 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
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Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Q | O | Cook | 2024-02-09 | Jean Brislance |
| Eastern Bluebird | R | O | Meeker | 2024-02-05 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | C | # | Itasca | 2024-01-17 | Kathy Carroll | ||||
| Fox Sparrow | R | O | Meeker | 2024-02-03 | Paul and Koni Fank | ||||
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Townsend's Solitaire | R | O | Renville | 2024-01-31 | Michael Oetken |
| Common Raven | R | # | McLeod | 2024-02-01 | Britt Dalbec | ||||
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | C | # | Itasca | 2024-01-27 | Kimberly A. Emerson | ||||
| White-winged Scoter | R | # | Scott | 2024-01-26 | Tom Gilde |
