Birds in Rhode Island
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Rhode Island 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
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
- Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
- Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
- Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
- Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
| 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: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: common | 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 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 |
| Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina | 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 |
| Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | 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 |
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta 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 Warbler Setophaga petechia | 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 |
The Rhode Island birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Rhode Island.
The complete Birds of Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island.