WhenToBird

Eastern Bluebird · Sialia sialis

When Do Bluebirds Arrive in Ohio?

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

The Eastern Bluebird is in Ohio all year. It turns up on about 20% of checklists at its peak (late October) and on 11% in its quietest week (late August). They are the only regular bluebirds in Ohio.

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekOct 22-31late October
Quietest weekAug 22-31late August

Best: late October. Here all year. Peak: on about 20% of Ohio checklists.

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

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

Bluebirds in Ohio, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Eastern Bluebirdall year–Oct 22-31–20%
0%10%20%30%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 Ohio 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 Ohio

Best counties for Eastern Bluebird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Perry CountyBest early July · 109 checklists that week, 6,489 in all52%
  2. Holmes CountyBest late October · 234 checklists that week, 10,766 in all51%
  3. Lawrence CountyBest the second week of July · 28 checklists that week, 3,077 in all47%
  4. Coshocton CountyBest the second week of October · 32 checklists that week, 2,932 in all46%
  5. Columbiana CountyBest mid October · 60 checklists that week, 5,638 in all45%
  6. Brown CountyBest the second week of August · 33 checklists that week, 1,793 in all43%

Common questions

When do bluebirds arrive in Ohio?
The Eastern Bluebird is in Ohio all year. It turns up on about 20% of checklists at its peak (late October) and on 11% in its quietest week (late August). They are the only regular bluebirds in Ohio.
When do bluebirds leave Ohio?
The Eastern Bluebird does not leave Ohio: it is reported all year, from 11% of checklists in late August to 20% in late October.
When is the best time to see bluebirds in Ohio?
The Eastern Bluebird is reported most often in late October, on about 20% of Ohio checklists.