This page, while imperfect, is an attempt to give birders, especially those with only a few years of experience, an idea of when to expect selected spring migrants. The species and dates shown are chosen for the northeast and western New England, in particular: NY, CT, MA, and VT.

To simplify the complications of average arrival dates or first records for an entire region, each month (Mar-May) is divided into four weeks. For example, March 1 is the first week of the month of March (March 1st-March 7th). Under the selected week are the bird species that one should be on the lookout for. For many of these species only a few individuals will probably be detected during their first arrival. However, be aware that some species can occur in “fallouts”, or overwinter, thus altering the generalities of this guide.

Arrival Dates
Week 1 (days 1-7)
Week 2 (days 8-15)
Week 3 (days 16-23)
Week 4 (days 24-31)

As expected, the weather will have an effect on the predicted arrival dates. If the weather is very warm, then migrants might show up a week before normal. If the weather is cold, and there is heavy precipitation the birds could arrive a week or two late. The arrival dates were chosen on past experience and local sources. As suggested above, viewers may find differences in their own experience or records. This page is simply meant to serve as a guide for our more inexperienced viewers of the region. However, we would love to hear how this guide has served you and how it can be improved in future years. Enjoy…

March 1
Wood Duck
Turkey Vulture
Killdeer
Common Grackle

March 2
Blue-winged Teal
American Woodcock
American Pipit
Eastern Meadowlark

March 3
Wilson’s Snipe
Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
Brown-headed Cowbird

March 4
Osprey
Bonaparte’s Gull
Fox Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird

April 1
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Barn Swallow
Winter Wren
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

April 2
Pectoral Sandpiper
Caspian Tern
Purple Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Hermit Thrush
Eastern Towhee
Swamp Sparrow

April 3
American Bittern
Broad-winged Hawk
Virginia Rail
Upland Sandpiper
Forster’s Tern
Chimney Swift
Blue-headed Vireo
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Brown Thrasher
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush

April 4
Green Heron
Sora
Common Moorhen
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Common Tern
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
White-crowned Sparrow

May 1
Black Tern
Whip-poor-will
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Great Crested Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Marsh Wren
Veery
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Grasshopper Sparrow
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Bobolink
Baltimore Oriole

May 2
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Red Knot
White-rumped Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Black-billed Cuckoo
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Canada Warbler
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Indigo Bunting

May 3
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Olive-sided Flycatcher