When do catbirds leave Kansas?

Most Gray Catbirds have left Kansas by the second week of October, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid October.

When is the best time to see catbirds in Kansas?

The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 19% of Kansas checklists.

Gray Catbird · Dumetella carolinensis

When Do Catbirds Arrive in Kansas?

Photo: Melanie Gaddy, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Gray Catbirds reach Kansas in mid April, are common by late April, peak in the second week of May (19% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 15-21mid April

Common byApr 22-30late April

PeakMay 8-14the second week of May

Most gone byOct 8-14the second week of October

Best: the second week of May. First arrivals mid April; most are gone by the second week of October. Peak: on about 19% of Kansas checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Marnot usually seen
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Juluncommon
Auguncommon
Seppeak season
Octcommon
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Catbirds in Kansas, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Gray Catbird	Apr 15-21	Apr 22-30	May 8-14	Oct 8-14	19%

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 Kansas 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 Kansas

Best counties for Gray Catbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Pratt CountyBest the second week of May · 72 checklists that week, 1,637 in all45%
Jewell CountyBest mid May · 17 checklists that week, 612 in all42%
Wyandotte CountyBest the second week of May · 177 checklists that week, 3,430 in all40%
Comanche CountyBest mid July · 11 checklists that week, 769 in all39%
Crawford CountyBest mid July · 15 checklists that week, 2,687 in all36%
Atchison CountyBest mid May · 91 checklists that week, 3,228 in all33%

Common questions

When do catbirds arrive in Kansas?: Gray Catbirds reach Kansas in mid April, are common by late April, peak in the second week of May (19% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do catbirds leave Kansas?: Most Gray Catbirds have left Kansas by the second week of October, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid October.
When is the best time to see catbirds in Kansas?: The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 19% of Kansas checklists.