Birds in Washington
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Washington 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
- Common Raven Corvus corax
- Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
- Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
- Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
- Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer
- Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
- Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis oreganus
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
- Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
- American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
- Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
| 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 |
| Common Raven Corvus corax | 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 |
| Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus | 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-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 |
| 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 |
| Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus | 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 |
| Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis oreganus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | 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 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis | 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 |
| Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii | 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 Washington birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Washington.
The complete Birds of Washington
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 Washington.