WhenToBird

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Delaware?

Adult male Northern Cardinal
Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Delaware all year. It turns up on about 67% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 41% in its quietest week (mid November).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekApr 15-21mid April
Quietest weekNov 15-21mid November

Best: mid April. Here all year. Peak: on about 67% of Delaware checklists.

  1. Jancommon
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novcommon
  12. Deccommon

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

Cardinals in Delaware, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Northern Cardinalall year–Apr 15-21–67%
0%20%40%60%80%Northern CardinalJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Northern Cardinal
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 Delaware 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 Delaware

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. New Castle CountyBest mid April · 1979 checklists that week, 72,140 in all81%
  2. Sussex CountyBest mid April · 2160 checklists that week, 91,027 in all60%
  3. Kent CountyBest the second week of April · 746 checklists that week, 36,693 in all51%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Delaware

7 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year, 4 are summer visitors, and 2 mostly pass through.

#SpeciesPatternThrough the yearFirst arrivalsPeakPeak %
1Northern CardinalYear-roundall yearApr 15-2167%
2Indigo BuntingSummer visitorApr 22-30May 22-3125%
3Blue GrosbeakSummer visitorApr 15-21Aug 1-723%
4Scarlet TanagerSummer visitorApr 15-21May 8-1412%
5Rose-breasted GrosbeakPasses throughSep 1-7Sep 15-215.1%
6Summer TanagerSummer visitorApr 15-21May 8-144.0%
7DickcisselPasses throughMay 22-31Jun 15-211.7%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Delaware?
The Northern Cardinal is in Delaware all year. It turns up on about 67% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 41% in its quietest week (mid November).
When do cardinals leave Delaware?
The Northern Cardinal does not leave Delaware: it is reported all year, from 41% of checklists in mid November to 67% in mid April.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Delaware?
The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in mid April, on about 67% of Delaware checklists.