Birds in South Carolina
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in South Carolina 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
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
- Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
- Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
- Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
- Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
- Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
- Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
- Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus
- Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
- White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
- Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
- Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
- Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
- Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
- Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
- Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| 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 |
| 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-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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | 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 |
| 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 |
| Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum | 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 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 |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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-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 |
| 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 |
The South Carolina birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in South Carolina.
The complete Birds of South Carolina
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 South Carolina.