Birds Of Massachusetts Arrival Dates Returning Birds By Month & Week
italics = non-breeding species
 
March – AprilMayJune – JulyAugust – SeptemberOctober – NovemberPermanent Residents
           
March

3A

3B3C3D
American Wigeon 3A-5BPied-billed Grebe 3B-12BSnow Goose 3C-5BDouble-crested Cormorant 3D-11B
Northern Pintail 3A-12BGreat Blue Heron 3B-12BGadwall 3C-11CBlack-crowned Night Heron 3D-10B
Green-winged Teal 3A-12BTurkey Vulture 3B-11BNorthern Shoveler 3C-5DBlue-winged Teal 3D-11B
American Woodcock 3A-11BTundra Swan 3B-4APiping Plover 3C-9COsprey 3D-10D
Fox Sparrow 3A-4DWood Duck 3B-11DGreater Yellowlegs 3C-6AAmerican Oystercatcher 3D-10C
Red-winged Blackbird 3A-11BPeregrine Falcon 3B-5CLoggerhead Shrike 3C-4DCommon Snipe 3D-5C
Common Grackle 3A-11BKilldeer 3B-12ATree Swallow 3C-10DAmerican Pipit 3D-5C
 Eastern Phoebe 3B-10C  
 Rusty Blackbird 3B-5A  
 Brown-headed Cowbird 3B-11D 

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April
4A4B4C4D
Great Egret 4A-10DAmerican Bittern 4B-11BTricolored Heron 4C-9DSolitary Sandpiper 4D-5C
Snowy Egret 4A-10CLittle Blue Heron 4B-9DGreen Heron 4C-10CSpotted Sandpiper 4D-9D
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4A-5BCattle Egret 4B-10DSora 4C-10CCaspian Tern 4D-5B
American Golden Plover 4A-5CGlossy Ibis 4B-9CBlack-bellied Plover 4C-6BWhip-poor-will 4D-9D
Bonaparte’s Gull 4A-6BVirginia Rail 4B-10CWillet 4C-10CLeast Flycatcher 4D-9C
Winter Wren 4A-12CCommon Moorhen 4B-10BUpland Sandpiper 4C-9CGreat Crested Flycatcher 4D-9C
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4A-5CLesser Yellowlegs 4B-5CLeast Sandpiper 4C-6AEastern Kingbird 4D-9C
Pine Warbler 4A-12APectoral Sandpiper 4B-5CRed Phalarope 4C-5DWood Thrush 4D-9D
Palm Warbler 4A-5BRuff 4B-5CLaughing Gull 4C-11DGray Catbird 4D-12C
Field Sparrow 4A-11DYellow-bellied Sapsucker 4B-10BLittle Gull 4C-6ANorthern Parula 4D-6A
Vesper Sparrow 4A-11DBlue-headed Vireo 4B-10BChimney Swift 4C-10AYellow Warbler 4D-10A
Swamp Sparrow 4A-11DPurple Martin 4B-9ABank Swallow 4C-9BBlack-throated Green Warbler 4D-10D
Yellow-headed Blackbird 4A-5CNo. Rough-winged Swallow 4B-9DCliff Swallow 4C-9BBlackburnian Warbler 4D-9D
 Barn Swallow 4B-10CHouse Wren 4C-10DYellow-throated Warbler 4D-5C
 Hermit Thrush 4B-12CMarsh Wren 4C-10DBlack & white Warbler 4D-9D
 Chipping Sparrow 4B-10DBlue-gray Gnatcatcher 4C-9DNorthern Waterthrush 4D-9D
 Blue Grosbeak 4B-5BBrown Thrasher 4C-10CEastern Towhee 4D-10D
  Prothonotary Warbler 4C-5C 
  Louisiana Waterthrush 4C-8B 
  Broad-winged Hawk 4C-9D 
  Summer Tanager 4C-5C

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May
5A5B5C5D
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 5A-9CManx Shearwater 5B-11CSooty Shearwater 5C-10CGreater Shearwater 5D-11C
Black Vulture 5A-9BWilson’s Storm-Petrel 5B-9BWhimbrel 5B-6BAcadian Flycatcher 5D-8D
Clapper Rail 5A-12DLeach’s Storm-Petrel 5B-11CRed Knot 5C-6A 
Short-billed Dowitcher 5A-6BLeast Bittern 5B-8DPomarine Jaeger 5C-5D 
Red-necked Phalarope 5A-5DSemipalmated Plover 5B-6BParasitic Jaeger 5C-5D 
Roseate Tern 5A-9DRuddy Turnstone 5B-6ASabine’s Gull 5C-5D 
Common Tern 5A-11CSemipalmated Sandpiper 5B-6BBlack Tern 5C-6B 
Least Tern 5A-9BWhite-rumped Sandpiper 5B-6BBlack Skimmer 5C-9C 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5A-9CWilson’s Phalarope 5B-9DBlack-billed Cuckoo 5C-10B 
White-eyed Vireo 5A-9DArctic Tern 5B-8CYellow-billed Cuckoo 5C-10B 
Warbling Vireo 5A-9BChuck-will’s-widow 5B-9CCommon Nighthawk 5C-9C 
Veery 5A-9CYellow-throated Vireo 5B-9COlive-sided Flycatcher 5C-9B 
Tennessee Warbler 5A-6ARed-eyed Vireo 5B-10BEastern Wood-Pewee 5C-10A 
Orange-crowned Warbler 5A-5DSedge Wren 5B-10CYellow-bellied Flycatcher 5C-6B 
Nashville Warbler 5A-10CGray-cheeked Thrush 5B-10AAlder Flycatcher 5C-9B 
Chestnut-sided Warbler 5A-9DBicknell’s Thrush 5B-10AWillow Flycatcher 5C-9B 
Magnolia Warbler 5A-10DSwainson’s Thrush 5B-10APhiladelphia Vireo 5C-5D 
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5A-10BBlue-winged Warbler 5B-9CMourning Warbler 5C-10A 
Prairie Warbler 5A-10AGolden-winged Warbler 5B-9AYellow-breasted Chat 5C-6A 
American Redstart 5A-10BCape May Warbler 5B-5DIndigo Bunting 5C-10B 
Ovenbird 5A-10ABay-breasted Warbler 5B-6A  
Kentucky Warbler 5A-5DBlackpoll Warbler 5B-10D  
Common Yellowthroat 5A-11ACerulean Warbler 5B-9C  
White-crowned Sparrow 5A-5CWorm-eating Warbler 5B-9C  
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5A-10DHooded Warbler 5B-9D  
Bobolink 5A-10AWilson’s Warbler 5B-5D  
Orchard Oriole 5A-8BCanada Warbler 5B-9C  
Baltimore Oriole 5A-10BScarlet Tanager 5B-10B  
 Grasshopper Sparrow 5B-10D  
 Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow 5B-6A  
 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow 5B-11D  
 Seaside Sparrow 5B-10C  
 Lincoln’s Sparrow 5B-5D 

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June  
6A6B6C6D
                                                                                                                  Royal Tern 6D-9A
July
7A7B7C7D
Black-bellied Plover 7A-12ACory’s Shearwater 7B-11BAudubon’s Shearwater 7C-9CLong-billed Dowitcher 7D-11B
Lesser Yellowlegs 7A-10CGreater Yellowlegs 7B-11DSemipalmated Plover 7C-11APomarine Jaeger 7D-11C
Hudsonian Godwit 7A-11ASolitary Sandpiper 7B-9DWhite-rumped Sandpiper 7C-11BForster’s Tern 7D-11B
Least Sandpiper 7A-10BWhimbrel 7B-10BPectoral Sandpiper 7C-11B 
Ruff 7A-9ARuddy Turnstone 7B-10CRed-necked Phalarope 7C-10C 
Short-billed Dowitcher 7A-9DRed Knot 7B-10DParasitic Jaeger 7C-11A 
Black Tern 7A-9CSanderling 7B-6A  
 Semipalmated Sandpiper 7B-10D  
 Stilt Sandpiper 7B-9D 

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August
8A8B8C8D
Northern Shoveler 8A-12DMarbled Godwit 8B-10DAmerican Wigeon 8C-12DDunlin 8D-5D
King Rail 8A-10DRed Phalarope 8B-11CSurf Scoter 8C-5DWilson’s Snipe 8D-11D
Caspian Tern 8A-10CLittle Gull 8B-10DWhite-winged Scoter 8C-5DLesser Black-backed Gull 8D-5A
 Sabine’s Gull 8B-10DBlack Scoter 8C-5DPhiladelphia Vireo 8D-10A
 Loggerhead Shrike 8B-10AAmerican Golden Plover 8C-10DTennessee Warbler 8D-10A
 Dickcissel 8B-12DWestern Sandpiper 8C-11ANorthern Parula 8D-10B
  Baird’s Sandpiper 8C-10BSummer Tanager 8D-9C
  Buff-breasted Sandpiper 8C-9CNelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow 8D-10D
  Bonaparte’s Gull 8C-12DYellow-headed Blackbird 8D-9D
  Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 8C-9C 
  Cape May Warbler 8C-10C 
  Yellow-throated Warbler 8C-10C 
  Bay-breasted Warbler 8C-9D 
  Prothonotary Warbler 8C-9B 
  Kentucky Warbler 8C-9C 
  Wilson’s Warbler 8C-9D 
  Yellow-breasted Chat 8C-10D 
  Lark Sparrow 8C-10C

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September
9A9B9C9D
Common Loon 9A-5CHorned Grebe 9B-5CRed-throated Loon 9C-5CNorthern Fulmar 9D-6B
Northern Gannet 9A-5CGreater Scaup 9B-5DGreat Cormorant 9C-5ALesser Scaup 9D-4D
Merlin 9A-5CSharp-shinned Hawk 9B-10CBufflehead 9C-5CHooded Merganser 9D-4C
Red-headed Woodpecker 9A-10DPeregrine Falcon 9B-12CClay-colored Sparrow 9C-10DBlack-legged Kittiwake 9D-4A
Western Kingbird 9A-11DBlack-headed Gull 9B-5CRusty Blackbird 9C-11A 
Palm Warbler 9A-11BRuby-crowned Kinglet 9B-11AEurasian Wigeon 9C-11D 
Connecticut Warbler 9A-10AAmerican Pipit 9B-11B  
 Orange-crowned Warbler 9B-12C  
 Lincoln’s Sparrow 9B-10D  
 White-crowned Sparrow 9B-12D  
 Blue Grosbeak 9B-10D 

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October
10A10B10C10D
Red-necked Grebe 10A-4DCanvasback 10B-4DPacific Loon 10C-5BCommon Merganser 10D-4D
Snow Goose 10A-12BCommon Goldeneye 10B-5BRedhead 10C-4BNorthern Shrike 10D-4A
Brant 10A-5DRough-legged Hawk 10B-4DKing Eider 10C-4CSnow Bunting 10D-3B
Ring-necked Duck 10A-5BFox Sparrow 10B-11DHarlequin Duck 10C-4CRed Crossbill 10D-4C
Common Eider 10A-4CLapland Longspur 10B-4AGolden Eagle 10C-2D 
Long-tailed Duck 10A-5CEvening Grosbeak 10B-4DDovekie 10C-3D 
Red-breasted Merganser 10A-5D Razorbill 10C-4B 
Ruddy Duck 10A-4C Atlantic Puffin 10C-3D 
American Coot 10A-4A Boreal Chickadee 10C-3C 
Purple Sandpiper 10A-5C American Tree Sparrow 10C-4D 
Pine Siskin 10A-4D White-winged Crossbill 10C-3D

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November
11A11B11C11D
Sandhill Crane 11A-4CTundra Swan 11B-12DGlaucous Gull 11C-4DCommon Redpoll 11D-4C
Snowy Owl 11A-4ABarrow’s Goldeneye 11B-4DCommon Murre 11C-3D 
Pine Grosbeak 11A-3CGyrfalcon 11B-3DThick-billed Murre 11C-3D 
 Iceland Gull 11B-5C  
 Black Guillemot 11B-5A  
 Bohemian Waxwing 11B-3D 

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Permanent Residents
Canada GooseMute SwanAmerican Black DuckMallard
Bald EagleNorthern HarrierCooper’s HawkNorthern Goshawk
Red-shouldered HawkRed-tailed HawkAmerican KestrelRing-necked Pheasant
Ruffed GrouseWild TurkeyNorthern BobwhiteRing-billed Gull
Herring GullGreat Black-backed GullRock DoveMourning Dove
Monk ParakeetBarn OwlEastern Screech OwlGreat Horned Owl
Barred OwlLong-eared OwlShort-eared OwlNorthern Saw-whet Owl
Belted KingfisherRed-bellied WoodpeckerDowny WoodpeckerHairy Woodpecker
Northern FlickerPileated WoodpeckerBlue JayAmerican Crow
Fish CrowCommon RavenHorned LarkBlack-capped Chickadee
Tufted TitmouseRed-breasted NuthatchWhite-breasted NuthatchBrown Creeper
Carolina WrenGolden-crowned KingletEastern BluebirdAmerican Robin
Northern MockingbirdEuropean StarlingCedar WaxwingYellow-rumped Warbler
Savannah SparrowSong SparrowWhite-throated SparrowDark-eyed Junco
Northern CardinalEastern MeadowlarkPurple Finch House Finch
American GoldfinchHouse Sparrow 

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