When do cardinals leave Wisconsin?

The Northern Cardinal does not leave Wisconsin: it is reported all year, from 34% of checklists in mid November to 55% in early May.

When is the best time to see cardinals in Wisconsin?

The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in early May, on about 55% of Wisconsin checklists.

Northern Cardinal · Cardinalis cardinalis

When Do Cardinals Arrive in Wisconsin?

Photo: Michael, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Northern Cardinal is in Wisconsin all year. It turns up on about 55% of checklists at its peak (early May) and on 34% 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 55% of Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Northern Cardinal	all year	–	May 1-7	–	55%

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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Best counties for Northern Cardinal

Share of checklists at the peak

Crawford CountyBest the second week of August · 44 checklists that week, 4,271 in all79%
Washington CountyBest late July · 324 checklists that week, 15,206 in all77%
Langlade CountyBest early February · 52 checklists that week, 5,023 in all76%
Green CountyBest mid August · 41 checklists that week, 4,387 in all76%
La Crosse CountyBest early May · 752 checklists that week, 15,788 in all75%
Vernon CountyBest early February · 219 checklists that week, 13,255 in all73%

All cardinals, grosbeaks & buntings in Wisconsin

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	55%
2	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Summer visitor	Apr 22-30	May 15-21	35%
3	Indigo Bunting	Summer visitor	May 1-7	Jul 1-7	30%
4	Scarlet Tanager	Summer visitor	May 1-7	May 22-31	9.8%
5	Dickcissel	Passes through	May 22-31	Jun 22-30	7.9%

Common questions

When do cardinals arrive in Wisconsin?: The Northern Cardinal is in Wisconsin all year. It turns up on about 55% of checklists at its peak (early May) and on 34% in its quietest week (mid November).
When do cardinals leave Wisconsin?: The Northern Cardinal does not leave Wisconsin: it is reported all year, from 34% of checklists in mid November to 55% in early May.
When is the best time to see cardinals in Wisconsin?: The Northern Cardinal is reported most often in early May, on about 55% of Wisconsin checklists.