When do cardinals leave Iowa?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave Iowa: it is reported all year, from 38% of checklists in the second week of November to 66% in the second week of May.

When is the best time to see cardinals in Iowa?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 66% of Iowa checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Iowa?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Iowa all year. It turns up on about 66% of checklists at its peak (the second week of May) and on 38% in its quietest week (the second week of November).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekMay 8-14the second week of May

Quietest weekNov 8-14the second week of November

Best: the second week of May. Here all year. Peak: on about 66% of Iowa checklists.

Jancommon
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octcommon
Novcommon
Deccommon

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

Cardinals in Iowa, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	May 8-14	–	66%

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 Iowa 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 Iowa

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Poweshiek CountyBest early August · 27 checklists that week, 1,402 in all88%
Mitchell CountyBest the second week of August · 12 checklists that week, 660 in all88%
Shelby CountyBest late July · 10 checklists that week, 354 in all87%
Clarke CountyBest late April · 22 checklists that week, 459 in all85%
Louisa CountyBest the second week of July · 15 checklists that week, 1,639 in all85%
Jones CountyBest late July · 11 checklists that week, 541 in all85%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Iowa

7 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year and 6 are summer visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Northern Cardinal	Year-round	all year	May 8-14	66%
2	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 15-21	41%
3	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	Jun 22-30	41%
4	Dickcissel	Summer visitor	May 8-14	Jun 22-30	36%
5	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	11%
6	Blue Grosbeak	Summer visitor	May 22-31	Aug 8-14	4.1%
7	Summer Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	3.4%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Iowa?: The Northern Cardinal is in Iowa all year. It turns up on about 66% of checklists at its peak (the second week of May) and on 38% in its quietest week (the second week of November).
When do cardinals leave Iowa?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave Iowa: it is reported all year, from 38% of checklists in the second week of November to 66% in the second week of May.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Iowa?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 66% of Iowa checklists.