Birds in Pennsylvania
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Pennsylvania 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 Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- American Robin Turdus migratorius
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
- Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
- Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
- Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
- Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
- Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
- Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
- Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
- Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) Colaptes auratus auratus
- Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
- Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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-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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Flicker (Yellow-shafted) Colaptes auratus auratus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea | 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 Pennsylvania birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Pennsylvania.
The complete Birds of Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania.