WhenToBird

Falco sparverius · Falconidae

American Kestrel: When and Where to See It

Adult male American Kestrel
Photo: Jonathan Eisen, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The American Kestrel reaches Alabama first, around the second week of July, and Kentucky last, around the second week of November.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
today
Second week of November

Each county is shaded by the share of complete checklists there that listed the bird, blended with the weeks either side. Darker is more often. It follows where people watch birds, not how many birds there are. How to read it.

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0%2%4%6%8%Jan 1-7: 7.3% of 1114036 checklistsJan 8-14: 7.0% of 824708 checklistsJan 15-21: 6.9% of 825978 checklistsJan 22-31: 6.7% of 1105853 checklistsFeb 1-7: 6.2% of 779772 checklistsFeb 8-14: 5.3% of 864504 checklistsFeb 15-21: 4.6% of 1127933 checklistsFeb 22-28: 5.4% of 840124 checklistsMar 1-7: 5.1% of 839610 checklistsMar 8-14: 4.9% of 870138 checklistsMar 15-21: 4.9% of 898456 checklistsMar 22-31: 4.9% of 1335637 checklistsApr 1-7: 4.8% of 1030617 checklistsApr 8-14: 4.6% of 1124024 checklistsApr 15-21: 4.3% of 1194575 checklistsApr 22-30: 3.5% of 1675723 checklistsMay 1-7: 3.0% of 1449080 checklistsMay 8-14: 2.5% of 1538353 checklistsMay 15-21: 2.5% of 1219898 checklistsMay 22-31: 2.8% of 1452282 checklistsJun 1-7: 2.8% of 900636 checklistsJun 8-14: 2.8% of 829907 checklistsJun 15-21: 3.0% of 773255 checklistsJun 22-30: 3.0% of 916255 checklistsJul 1-7: 3.1% of 717733 checklistsJul 8-14: 3.1% of 658223 checklistsJul 15-21: 3.3% of 638752 checklistsJul 22-31: 3.3% of 895727 checklistsAug 1-7: 3.4% of 655651 checklistsAug 8-14: 3.7% of 650038 checklistsAug 15-21: 3.8% of 654639 checklistsAug 22-31: 4.0% of 974928 checklistsSep 1-7: 4.5% of 765914 checklistsSep 8-14: 5.1% of 738674 checklistsSep 15-21: 5.8% of 750433 checklistsSep 22-30: 6.1% of 944196 checklistsOct 1-7: 6.2% of 760106 checklistsOct 8-14: 6.4% of 793131 checklistsOct 15-21: 6.6% of 728727 checklistsOct 22-31: 6.7% of 959954 checklistsNov 1-7: 6.7% of 709464 checklistsNov 8-14: 7.1% of 693424 checklistsNov 15-21: 7.1% of 653952 checklistsNov 22-30: 7.3% of 871137 checklistsDec 1-7: 7.4% of 627591 checklistsDec 8-14: 7.5% of 642427 checklistsDec 15-21: 7.8% of 775638 checklistsDec 22-31: 7.3% of 1132751 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Share of complete checklists reporting it, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

Pooled across every state in the data, so it leans toward states with the most birders.

States, in order of first arrivals

StatePatternFirst arrivalsPeakMost gone byPeak %
South DakotaSummer visitorFeb 22-28Apr 8-14Oct 1-77.2%
New YorkSummer visitorMar 1-7Sep 15-21Dec 15-215.8%
NebraskaAll year, most in springMar 8-14Apr 8-14Apr 15-217.7%
North DakotaSummer visitorMar 8-14Apr 15-21Oct 8-147.5%
MinnesotaSummer visitorMar 8-14Apr 8-14Oct 8-144.4%
Rhode IslandSummer visitorMar 8-14Apr 15-21May 15-214.9%
WyomingSummer visitorMar 15-21Apr 22-30Sep 22-309.2%
MassachusettsSummer visitorMar 15-21Apr 15-21Oct 15-215.5%
New HampshireSummer visitorMar 15-21Apr 8-14Oct 15-215.5%
VermontSummer visitorMar 15-21Apr 8-14Oct 8-144.8%
MaineSummer visitorMar 22-31Apr 15-21Oct 8-145.5%
MontanaSummer visitorApr 1-7May 1-7Sep 22-3011%
ConnecticutSummer visitorMay 22-31Sep 22-30Nov 8-147.1%
New JerseySummer visitorJun 1-7Sep 22-30May 1-713%
MarylandSummer visitorJul 15-21Sep 22-30May 1-74.7%
VirginiaSummer visitorJul 22-31Sep 22-30Apr 8-144.5%
MichiganSummer visitorNov 8-14Apr 8-14May 1-73.7%
WisconsinSummer visitorNov 8-14Apr 1-7Oct 1-74.1%
TennesseeAll year, most in winterOct 1-7Dec 8-14Mar 8-148.4%
MissouriAll year, most in winterOct 15-21Dec 8-14Feb 1-79.6%
UtahAll year, most in winterNov 1-7Dec 22-31Feb 15-2118%
KentuckyAll year, most in winterNov 8-14Dec 22-31Feb 8-1414%
West VirginiaWinter visitorMay 22-31Dec 8-14Apr 8-147.5%
OhioWinter visitorMay 22-31Jan 1-7Apr 22-305.1%
PennsylvaniaWinter visitorMay 22-31Oct 1-7Apr 22-305.4%
IowaWinter visitorJun 1-7Mar 22-31Apr 22-306.1%
IndianaWinter visitorJun 1-7Dec 22-31Apr 15-216.5%
IllinoisWinter visitorJun 22-30Nov 15-21Apr 22-306.3%
AlabamaWinter visitorJul 8-14Nov 22-30Mar 15-218.4%
ArkansasWinter visitorJul 15-21Dec 8-14Apr 1-79.3%
TexasWinter visitorAug 1-7Nov 15-21Mar 15-2116%
OklahomaWinter visitorAug 15-21Dec 8-14Apr 1-710%
District of ColumbiaWinter visitorAug 22-31Oct 8-14Apr 15-215.4%
ArizonaAll year, most in fallSep 1-7Oct 22-31Feb 15-2114%
KansasAll year, most in fallSep 1-7Dec 22-31Feb 1-78.3%
DelawareWinter visitorSep 1-7Oct 1-7May 1-76.7%
GeorgiaWinter visitorSep 1-7Dec 8-14Mar 15-214.8%
North CarolinaWinter visitorSep 1-7Dec 8-14Mar 8-144.4%
South CarolinaWinter visitorSep 1-7Dec 8-14Mar 15-214.9%
MississippiWinter visitorSep 8-14Dec 1-7Mar 15-219.4%
FloridaWinter visitorSep 15-21Nov 1-7Mar 22-3115%
CaliforniaAll year, most in winterSep 15-21Dec 8-14Feb 15-2114%
LouisianaWinter visitorSep 15-21Dec 8-14Mar 15-2114%
IdahoYear-round–Dec 22-31–21%
New MexicoYear-round–Apr 1-7–13%
ColoradoYear-round–Dec 8-14–12%
NevadaYear-round–Sep 8-14–12%
OregonYear-round–Dec 22-31–12%
WashingtonYear-round–Nov 15-21–6.2%

Winter visitor in: Iowa, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois

Passes through: Nebraska

Summer visitor in: South Dakota, New York, North Dakota, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Montana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Jersey