Winter Birds in North Carolina

Percent of complete checklists in North Carolina that reported the bird during these weeks, 2016–2025 (327,950 checklists). It shows how likely you are to list the bird, not how many there are. Methods.

1. 1Northern Cardinal59%
2. 2Carolina Chickadee56%
3. 3Carolina Wren54%
4. 4Tufted Titmouse49%
5. 5American Crow46%
6. 6Red-bellied Woodpecker41%
7. 7White-throated Sparrow41%
8. 8Eastern Bluebird38%
9. 9Downy Woodpecker37%
10. 10Song Sparrow36%
11. 11Mourning Dove36%
12. 12Blue Jay34%
13. 13Yellow-rumped Warbler34%
14. 14American Robin34%
15. 15House Finch32%
16. 16Dark-eyed Junco30%
17. 17Northern Mockingbird28%
18. 18American Goldfinch27%
19. 19White-breasted Nuthatch26%
20. 20Eastern Towhee26%
21. 21Turkey Vulture24%
22. 22Ruby-crowned Kinglet23%
23. 23Canada Goose21%
24. 24Brown-headed Nuthatch21%
25. 25Pine Warbler20%
26. 26Great Blue Heron19%
27. 27Northern Flicker18%
28. 28Eastern Phoebe17%
29. 29Ring-billed Gull17%
30. 30Mallard16%
31. 31Double-crested Cormorant16%
32. 32Chipping Sparrow16%
33. 33Red-shouldered Hawk15%
34. 34Yellow-bellied Sapsucker15%
35. 35European Starling14%
36. 36Golden-crowned Kinglet13%
37. 37Red-winged Blackbird12%
38. 38Hermit Thrush12%
39. 39Belted Kingfisher11%
40. 40Brown Thrasher11%
41. 41Killdeer10%

• American Robinfirst arrivals late January, peaks the second week of March
• Pine Warblerfirst arrivals late January, peaks the second week of March
• Red-winged Blackbirdfirst arrivals mid February, peaks late April
• Ospreyfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of August
• Laughing Gullfirst arrivals late February, peaks the second week of August
• Tree Swallowfirst arrivals mid February, peaks late April
• Wood Duckfirst arrivals late January, peaks late March
• Barred Owlfirst arrivals mid January, peaks late April
• Wild Turkeyfirst arrivals the second week of February, peaks the second week of April
• Common Ravenfirst arrivals late February, peaks mid September

• Northern Flickermost gone by late December
• Belted Kingfishermost gone by the second week of January
• Laughing Gullmost gone by early December
• Northern House Wrenmost gone by mid December
• Brown Pelicanmost gone by early December
• Willetmost gone by the second week of January
• Tundra Swanmost gone by mid February
• Snowy Egretmost gone by early February
• White Ibismost gone by early February
• Tricolored Heronmost gone by the second week of February
• Common Ravenmost gone by the second week of February
• Northern Pintailmost gone by late February

42. 42Pileated Woodpecker10%
43. 43Pied-billed Grebe9.9%
44. 44Hooded Merganser9.2%
45. 45Bufflehead9.0%
46. 46Black Vulture8.3%
47. 47Swamp Sparrow8.3%
48. 48Red-tailed Hawk8.3%
49. 49Ruddy Duck7.3%
50. 50Common Grackle7.3%
51. 51Bald Eagle6.9%
52. 52Hairy Woodpecker6.6%
53. 53Cedar Waxwing5.9%
54. 54American Herring Gull5.8%
55. 55Fish Crow5.7%
56. 56Field Sparrow5.5%
57. 57Brown Pelican5.5%
58. 58House Sparrow5.4%
59. 59Purple Finch5.2%
60. 60Ring-necked Duck5.2%