Birds in Mississippi
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Mississippi 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
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
- Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
- White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
- Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
- Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
- Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
- Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
- Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
| 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: 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | 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 |
| Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas | 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 |
| Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| 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 |
The Mississippi birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Mississippi.
The complete Birds of Mississippi
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 Mississippi.