When do cardinals leave Pennsylvania?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave Pennsylvania: it is reported all year, from 49% of checklists in mid November to 69% in late April.

When is the best time to see cardinals in Pennsylvania?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in late April, on about 69% of Pennsylvania checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Pennsylvania?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Pennsylvania all year. It turns up on about 69% of checklists at its peak (late April) and on 49% in its quietest week (mid November).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 22-30late April

Quietest weekNov 15-21mid November

Best: late April. Here all year. Peak: on about 69% of Pennsylvania checklists.

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

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

Cardinals in Pennsylvania, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	Apr 22-30	–	69%

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Juniata CountyBest mid September · 104 checklists that week, 9,807 in all83%
Chester CountyBest late April · 5291 checklists that week, 144,121 in all83%
Bucks CountyBest late April · 3125 checklists that week, 95,030 in all81%
Lancaster CountyBest mid April · 2604 checklists that week, 97,892 in all80%
Washington CountyBest late April · 958 checklists that week, 23,823 in all80%
Delaware CountyBest early May · 2554 checklists that week, 76,406 in all80%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Pennsylvania

5 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year and 4 are summer visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Northern Cardinal	Year-round	all year	Apr 22-30	69%
2	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	Jul 1-7	24%
3	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	20%
4	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 8-14	17%
5	Blue Grosbeak	Summer visitor	May 15-21	Aug 8-14	1.5%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Pennsylvania?: The Northern Cardinal is in Pennsylvania all year. It turns up on about 69% of checklists at its peak (late April) and on 49% in its quietest week (mid November).
When do cardinals leave Pennsylvania?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave Pennsylvania: it is reported all year, from 49% of checklists in mid November to 69% in late April.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Pennsylvania?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in late April, on about 69% of Pennsylvania checklists.