WhenToBird

Gray Catbird · Dumetella carolinensis

When Do Catbirds Arrive in Idaho?

Adult Gray Catbird
Photo: Melanie Gaddy, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Gray Catbirds arrive in Idaho in mid May, peak in the second week of June (8.3% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of September.

When to look

First arrivalsMay 15-21mid May
Common byMay 15-21mid May
PeakJun 8-14the second week of June
Most gone bySep 8-14the second week of September

Best: the second week of June. First arrivals mid May; most are gone by the second week of September. Peak: on about 8.3% of Idaho checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Aprnot usually seen
  5. Maycommon
  6. Junpeak season
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octnot usually seen
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Catbirds in Idaho, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Gray CatbirdMay 15-21May 15-21Jun 8-14Sep 8-148.3%
0%5%10%Gray CatbirdJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Gray Catbird
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 Idaho 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 Idaho

Best counties for Gray Catbird

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Benewah CountyBest the second week of August · 50 checklists that week, 2,541 in all31%
  2. Bingham CountyBest the second week of July · 40 checklists that week, 1,427 in all28%
  3. Madison CountyBest early September · 48 checklists that week, 3,887 in all27%
  4. Lewis CountyBest early July · 10 checklists that week, 603 in all24%
  5. Clearwater CountyBest the second week of June · 33 checklists that week, 1,909 in all24%
  6. Kootenai CountyBest the second week of August · 177 checklists that week, 8,249 in all22%

Common questions

When do catbirds arrive in Idaho?
Gray Catbirds arrive in Idaho in mid May, peak in the second week of June (8.3% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of September.
When do catbirds leave Idaho?
Most Gray Catbirds have left Idaho by the second week of September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid September.
When is the best time to see catbirds in Idaho?
The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of June, on about 8.3% of Idaho checklists.