WhenToBird

Eastern Bluebird · Sialia sialis

When Do Bluebirds Arrive in New York?

Adult male Eastern Bluebird
Photo: Dan Vickers, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Eastern Bluebird is in New York all year. It turns up on about 11% of checklists at its peak (early June) and on 4.8% in its quietest week (mid January). They are the only regular bluebirds in New York.

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekJun 1-7early June
Quietest weekJan 15-21mid January

Best: early June. Here all year. Peak: on about 11% of New York checklists.

  1. Jancommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Deccommon

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

Bluebirds in New York, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Eastern Bluebirdall year–Jun 1-7–11%
0%5%10%15%Eastern BluebirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Eastern Bluebird
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in New York 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.

Where in New York

Best counties for Eastern Bluebird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Yates CountyBest the second week of April · 221 checklists that week, 10,331 in all35%
  2. Putnam CountyBest early October · 307 checklists that week, 13,177 in all34%
  3. Saratoga CountyBest the second week of October · 830 checklists that week, 56,746 in all33%
  4. Dutchess CountyBest the second week of October · 1234 checklists that week, 76,123 in all32%
  5. Washington CountyBest early November · 171 checklists that week, 15,060 in all32%
  6. Columbia CountyBest the second week of October · 467 checklists that week, 28,454 in all32%

Common questions

When do bluebirds arrive in New York?
The Eastern Bluebird is in New York all year. It turns up on about 11% of checklists at its peak (early June) and on 4.8% in its quietest week (mid January). They are the only regular bluebirds in New York.
When do bluebirds leave New York?
The Eastern Bluebird does not leave New York: it is reported all year, from 4.8% of checklists in mid January to 11% in early June.
When is the best time to see bluebirds in New York?
The Eastern Bluebird is reported most often in early June, on about 11% of New York checklists.