When do cardinals leave Michigan?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave Michigan: it is reported all year, from 39% of checklists in mid November to 59% in early May.

When is the best time to see cardinals in Michigan?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in early May, on about 59% of Michigan checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Michigan?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Michigan all year. It turns up on about 59% of checklists at its peak (early May) and on 39% in its quietest week (mid November).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekMay 1-7early May

Quietest weekNov 15-21mid November

Best: early May. Here all year. Peak: on about 59% of Michigan 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 Michigan, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	May 1-7	–	59%

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 Michigan 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 Michigan

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Van Buren CountyBest the second week of May · 590 checklists that week, 14,183 in all78%
Kalamazoo CountyBest early May · 1879 checklists that week, 48,773 in all76%
Ingham CountyBest the second week of May · 2169 checklists that week, 51,223 in all76%
Genesee CountyBest early May · 1120 checklists that week, 29,698 in all75%
Ogemaw CountyBest the second week of September · 88 checklists that week, 4,675 in all74%
Kent CountyBest the second week of May · 4535 checklists that week, 96,810 in all74%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Michigan

5 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year, 3 are summer visitors, and 1 mostly pass through.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Northern Cardinal	Year-round	all year	May 1-7	59%
2	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 15-21	35%
3	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	May 1-7	Jun 22-30	22%
4	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 22-31	13%
5	Dickcissel	Passes through	Jun 1-7	Jun 22-30	2.6%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Michigan?: The Northern Cardinal is in Michigan all year. It turns up on about 59% of checklists at its peak (early May) and on 39% in its quietest week (mid November).
When do cardinals leave Michigan?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave Michigan: it is reported all year, from 39% of checklists in mid November to 59% in early May.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Michigan?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in early May, on about 59% of Michigan checklists.