When do cardinals leave West Virginia?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave West Virginia: it is reported all year, from 48% of checklists in mid November to 67% in mid April.

When is the best time to see cardinals in West Virginia?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in mid April, on about 67% of West Virginia checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in West Virginia?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in West Virginia all year. It turns up on about 67% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 48% in its quietest week (mid November).

Cardinals here are the bird, not a sports team.

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekApr 15-21mid April

Quietest weekNov 15-21mid November

Best: mid April. Here all year. Peak: on about 67% of West Virginia checklists.

Janpeak season
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 West Virginia, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	Apr 15-21	–	67%

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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Doddridge CountyBest late April · 17 checklists that week, 427 in all95%
Marshall CountyBest late August · 18 checklists that week, 895 in all92%
Brooke CountyBest late May · 10 checklists that week, 594 in all92%
Marion CountyBest mid May · 154 checklists that week, 5,628 in all91%
Mineral CountyBest late March · 84 checklists that week, 2,389 in all90%
Wetzel CountyBest early May · 35 checklists that week, 1,196 in all88%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in West Virginia

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

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Northern Cardinal	Year-round	all year	Apr 15-21	67%
2	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	Jul 8-14	33%
3	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 8-14	28%
4	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 15-21	May 8-14	13%
5	Summer Tanager	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 8-14	2.5%
6	Blue Grosbeak	Summer visitor	May 1-7	Aug 8-14	1.6%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in West Virginia?: The Northern Cardinal is in West Virginia all year. It turns up on about 67% of checklists at its peak (mid April) and on 48% in its quietest week (mid November).
When do cardinals leave West Virginia?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave West Virginia: it is reported all year, from 48% of checklists in mid November to 67% in mid April.
When is the best time to see cardinals in West Virginia?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in mid April, on about 67% of West Virginia checklists.