Birds in Louisiana
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Louisiana 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
- Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
- Purple Martin Progne subis
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
- Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Western Cattle-Egret Ardea ibis
- Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
- Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 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 |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Purple Martin Progne subis | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura | 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 Cattle-Egret Ardea ibis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica | 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: 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 |
| Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius | 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 Louisiana birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Louisiana.
The complete Birds of Louisiana
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 Louisiana.