When do catbirds leave Kentucky?

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

When is the best time to see catbirds in Kentucky?

The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 22% of Kentucky checklists.

Gray Catbird · Dumetella carolinensis

When Do Catbirds Arrive in Kentucky?

Photo: Melanie Gaddy, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Gray Catbirds reach Kentucky in the second week of April, are common by mid April, peak in the second week of May (22% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 8-14the second week of April

Common byApr 15-21mid 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 the second week of April; most are gone by the second week of October. Peak: on about 22% of Kentucky checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Marnot usually seen
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augcommon
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novrare
Decnot usually seen

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

Catbirds in Kentucky, species by species

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

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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky

Best counties for Gray Catbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Mercer CountyBest late August · 29 checklists that week, 1,919 in all45%
Boone CountyBest the second week of July · 117 checklists that week, 8,727 in all45%
Grant CountyBest the second week of May · 33 checklists that week, 531 in all45%
Henry CountyBest the second week of May · 10 checklists that week, 284 in all45%
Warren CountyBest mid September · 77 checklists that week, 5,431 in all44%
Muhlenberg CountyBest mid September · 22 checklists that week, 1,263 in all42%

Common questions

When do catbirds arrive in Kentucky?: Gray Catbirds reach Kentucky in the second week of April, are common by mid April, peak in the second week of May (22% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do catbirds leave Kentucky?: Most Gray Catbirds have left Kentucky by the second week of October, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until late October.
When is the best time to see catbirds in Kentucky?: The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 22% of Kentucky checklists.