Birds in Arkansas
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Arkansas 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
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
- Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
- Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
- Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
- White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
- Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
- Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
- Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
- Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
- Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor | 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-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Summer Tanager Piranga rubra | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus | 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 Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
The Arkansas birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Arkansas.
The complete Birds of Arkansas
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 Arkansas.