Birds in New Jersey
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in New Jersey 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
- American Robin Turdus migratorius
- Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
- Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
- House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
- Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Robin Turdus migratorius | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis | 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-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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 |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon | 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 |
| American Goldfinch Spinus tristis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| 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 |
| House Sparrow Passer domesticus | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
The New Jersey birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in New Jersey.
The complete Birds of New Jersey
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 New Jersey.