When do cardinals leave Vermont?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave Vermont: it is reported all year, from 25% of checklists in early October to 46% in early May.

When is the best time to see cardinals in Vermont?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in early May, on about 46% of Vermont checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Vermont?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Vermont all year. It turns up on about 46% of checklists at its peak (early May) and on 25% in its quietest week (early October).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekMay 1-7early May

Quietest weekOct 1-7early October

Best: early May. Here all year. Peak: on about 46% of Vermont checklists.

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

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

Cardinals in Vermont, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	May 1-7	–	46%

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 Vermont 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 Vermont

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Chittenden CountyBest the second week of May · 4738 checklists that week, 109,477 in all62%
Bennington CountyBest late February · 324 checklists that week, 21,621 in all55%
Rutland CountyBest early March · 700 checklists that week, 46,909 in all54%
Grand Isle CountyBest the second week of May · 246 checklists that week, 8,507 in all52%
Windham CountyBest late April · 1728 checklists that week, 39,105 in all51%
Windsor CountyBest early March · 1250 checklists that week, 73,702 in all49%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Vermont

4 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year and 3 are summer visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Northern Cardinal	Year-round	all year	May 1-7	46%
2	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	19%
3	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	May 1-7	May 22-31	15%
4	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	May 1-7	Jul 1-7	15%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Vermont?: The Northern Cardinal is in Vermont all year. It turns up on about 46% of checklists at its peak (early May) and on 25% in its quietest week (early October).
When do cardinals leave Vermont?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave Vermont: it is reported all year, from 25% of checklists in early October to 46% in early May.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Vermont?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in early May, on about 46% of Vermont checklists.