When do cardinals leave Ohio?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave Ohio: it is reported all year, from 49% of checklists in late November to 73% in mid April.

When is the best time to see cardinals in Ohio?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in mid April, on about 73% of Ohio checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Ohio?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Ohio all year. It turns up on about 73% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 49% in its quietest week (late November).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 15-21mid April

Quietest weekNov 22-30late November

Best: mid April. Here all year. Peak: on about 73% of Ohio checklists.

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

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

Cardinals in Ohio, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	Apr 15-21	–	73%

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 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 Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Clermont CountyBest the second week of July · 478 checklists that week, 32,494 in all91%
Miami CountyBest the second week of April · 366 checklists that week, 12,280 in all90%
Gallia CountyBest late June · 18 checklists that week, 1,061 in all88%
Mahoning CountyBest late April · 646 checklists that week, 14,421 in all85%
Monroe CountyBest mid March · 20 checklists that week, 1,141 in all85%
Portage CountyBest early July · 386 checklists that week, 27,633 in all85%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Ohio

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

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Northern Cardinal	Year-round	all year	Apr 15-21	73%
2	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	Jun 22-30	31%
3	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 8-14	22%
4	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 15-21	14%
5	Dickcissel	Passes through	May 22-31	Jun 22-30	3.6%
6	Summer Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 8-14	2.3%
7	Blue Grosbeak	Summer visitor	May 15-21	Jul 22-31	1.7%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Ohio?: The Northern Cardinal is in Ohio all year. It turns up on about 73% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 49% in its quietest week (late November).
When do cardinals leave Ohio?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave Ohio: it is reported all year, from 49% of checklists in late November to 73% in mid April.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Ohio?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in mid April, on about 73% of Ohio checklists.