WhenToBird

Spizelloides arborea · Passerellidae

When Do American Tree Sparrows Arrive in Massachusetts?

Adult American Tree Sparrow
Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

American Tree Sparrows are winter birds in Massachusetts: the first arrive in early November, they are common by the second week of November, peak in the second week of December (9.8% of checklists), and most are gone by late March.

When to look

First arrivalsNov 1-7early November
Common byNov 8-14the second week of November
PeakDec 8-14the second week of December
Most gone byMar 22-31late March

Best: the second week of December. First arrivals early November; most are gone by late March. Peak: on about 9.8% of Massachusetts checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marcommon
  4. Apruncommon
  5. Maynot usually seen
  6. Junnot usually seen
  7. Julnot usually seen
  8. Augnot usually seen
  9. Sepnot usually seen
  10. Octrare
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

0%5%10%15%Jan 1-7: 8.2% of 43252 checklistsJan 8-14: 8.8% of 30096 checklistsJan 15-21: 8.6% of 28760 checklistsJan 22-31: 9.0% of 38135 checklistsFeb 1-7: 8.4% of 26442 checklistsFeb 8-14: 8.4% of 29034 checklistsFeb 15-21: 7.3% of 37383 checklistsFeb 22-28: 7.6% of 29977 checklistsMar 1-7: 7.2% of 29175 checklistsMar 8-14: 6.1% of 32399 checklistsMar 15-21: 5.3% of 34444 checklistsMar 22-31: 4.4% of 49126 checklistsApr 1-7: 3.2% of 36456 checklistsApr 8-14: 2.2% of 40908 checklistsApr 15-21: 0.9% of 42078 checklistsApr 22-30: 0.1% of 56465 checklistsMay 1-7: 0.1% of 56994 checklistsMay 8-14: 0.1% of 64079 checklistsMay 15-21: 0% of 52020 checklistsMay 22-31: 0% of 55402 checklistsJun 1-7: 0% of 30682 checklistsJun 8-14: 0% of 27557 checklistsJun 15-21: 0% of 26163 checklistsJun 22-30: 0% of 29576 checklistsJul 1-7: 0% of 23931 checklistsJul 8-14: 0% of 22389 checklistsJul 15-21: 0% of 22365 checklistsJul 22-31: 0% of 32631 checklistsAug 1-7: 0% of 25133 checklistsAug 8-14: 0% of 24610 checklistsAug 15-21: 0% of 25350 checklistsAug 22-31: 0% of 37198 checklistsSep 1-7: 0% of 27402 checklistsSep 8-14: 0% of 27700 checklistsSep 15-21: 0% of 28398 checklistsSep 22-30: 0% of 34646 checklistsOct 1-7: 0.1% of 28620 checklistsOct 8-14: 0.1% of 30144 checklistsOct 15-21: 0.1% of 28893 checklistsOct 22-31: 0.5% of 38869 checklistsNov 1-7: 2.2% of 29782 checklistsNov 8-14: 5.9% of 27582 checklistsNov 15-21: 8.1% of 26642 checklistsNov 22-30: 8.8% of 34390 checklistsDec 1-7: 9.3% of 25164 checklistsDec 8-14: 9.8% of 24892 checklistsDec 15-21: 10% of 29022 checklistsDec 22-31: 9.3% of 44323 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Share of complete checklists reporting it, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Massachusetts that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

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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Where in Massachusetts

Best counties

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Hampden CountyBest early March · 761 checklists that week, 35,410 in all18%
  2. Berkshire CountyBest mid January · 1274 checklists that week, 92,890 in all16%
  3. Hampshire CountyBest the second week of January · 2793 checklists that week, 162,423 in all14%
  4. Essex CountyBest mid December · 3385 checklists that week, 213,973 in all14%
  5. Franklin CountyBest mid December · 590 checklists that week, 41,382 in all12%
  6. Middlesex CountyBest late November · 6763 checklists that week, 307,511 in all11%

Best spots

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Cow CommonMiddlesex County, best early January · 22 checklists that week, 667 in all90%
  2. Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (Great Pond)Hampshire County, best the second week of December · 24 checklists that week, 1,656 in all83%
  3. Plum BrookHampshire County, best mid December · 26 checklists that week, 346 in all80%
  4. Ledgeville CemeteryWorcester County, best mid February · 65 checklists that week, 166 in all80%

Busy spots report more of everything; compare the checklist counts before you drive anywhere.

Best time of day

In Massachusetts, the American Tree Sparrow is most often listed on checklists started between 8 and 10 am (3.9% of those checklists).

0%1%2%3%4%12 am: too few checklists (630) to judge1 am: too few checklists (657) to judge2 am: too few checklists (645) to judge3 am: too few checklists (850) to judge4 am: too few checklists (3787) to judge5 am: too few checklists (29743) to judge6 am: 2.7% of 108601 checklists7 am: 3.8% of 186104 checklists8 am: 4.0% of 185905 checklists9 am: 3.9% of 166049 checklists10 am: 3.8% of 150508 checklists11 am: 3.6% of 131024 checklists12 pm: 3.5% of 116804 checklists1 pm: 3.7% of 112055 checklists2 pm: 3.3% of 110246 checklists3 pm: 2.9% of 104376 checklists4 pm: 1.8% of 83736 checklists5 pm: 0.9% of 63723 checklists6 pm: 0.5% of 41435 checklists7 pm: too few checklists (21041) to judge8 pm: too few checklists (5240) to judge9 pm: too few checklists (1722) to judge10 pm: too few checklists (1094) to judge11 pm: too few checklists (704) to judge12a3a6a9a12p3p6p9p
Share of checklists started in each local hour that reported it. It reflects when people go birding as well as when birds are active. Grey hours have too few checklists (under 2% of the state’s, or under 200) to judge.
Week-by-week table
MonthDays 1-78-1415-2122-end
January8.2%8.8%8.6%9.0%
February8.4%8.4%7.3%7.6%
March7.2%6.1%5.3%4.4%
April3.2%2.2%0.9%0.1%
May0.1%0.1%0%0%
June0%0%0%0%
July0%0%0%0%
August0%0%0%0%
September0%0%0%0%
October0.1%0.1%0.1%0.5%
November2.2%5.9%8.1%8.8%
December9.3%9.8%10%9.3%

Neighboring states

  • Rhode Island: arrives the second week of November, 1 week later than Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire: arrives late October, 1 week earlier than Massachusetts
  • Connecticut: arrives early November, in the same week than Massachusetts
  • Vermont: arrives late October, 1 week earlier than Massachusetts

Common questions

When do American Tree Sparrows arrive in Massachusetts?
American Tree Sparrows are winter birds in Massachusetts: the first arrive in early November, they are common by the second week of November, peak in the second week of December (9.8% of checklists), and most are gone by late March.
When do American Tree Sparrows leave Massachusetts?
Most American Tree Sparrows have left Massachusetts by late March, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of April.
When is the best time to see a American Tree Sparrow in Massachusetts?
The American Tree Sparrow is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 9.8% of Massachusetts checklists.
Where in Massachusetts are American Tree Sparrows seen most often?
By county, Hampden County, Berkshire County, and Hampshire County have the highest peak reporting rates for the American Tree Sparrow (counties with at least 200 checklists).