When do bluebirds leave Virginia?

The Eastern Bluebird does not leave Virginia: it is reported all year, from 28% of checklists in early September to 38% in mid March.

When is the best time to see bluebirds in Virginia?

The Eastern Bluebird is reported most often in mid March, on about 38% of Virginia checklists.

Eastern Bluebird · Sialia sialis

When Do Bluebirds Arrive in Virginia?

Photo: Dan Vickers, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Eastern Bluebird is in Virginia all year. It turns up on about 38% of checklists at its peak (mid March) and on 28% in its quietest week (early September). They are the only regular bluebirds in Virginia.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekMar 15-21mid March

Quietest weekSep 1-7early September

Best: mid March. Here all year. Peak: on about 38% of Virginia checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Bluebirds in Virginia, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Eastern Bluebird	all year	–	Mar 15-21	–	38%

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 Virginia 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 Virginia

Best counties for Eastern Bluebird

Share of checklists at the peak

Martinsville CountyBest late May · 30 checklists that week, 1,842 in all84%
Patrick CountyBest early December · 39 checklists that week, 3,252 in all79%
Clarke CountyBest mid October · 153 checklists that week, 8,388 in all76%
Manassas Park CountyBest late September · 11 checklists that week, 343 in all73%
Charles CityBest the second week of November · 21 checklists that week, 2,357 in all70%
Madison CountyBest the second week of March · 112 checklists that week, 8,219 in all70%

Common questions

When do bluebirds arrive in Virginia?: The Eastern Bluebird is in Virginia all year. It turns up on about 38% of checklists at its peak (mid March) and on 28% in its quietest week (early September). They are the only regular bluebirds in Virginia.
When do bluebirds leave Virginia?: The Eastern Bluebird does not leave Virginia: it is reported all year, from 28% of checklists in early September to 38% in mid March.
When is the best time to see bluebirds in Virginia?: The Eastern Bluebird is reported most often in mid March, on about 38% of Virginia checklists.