When do catbirds leave Missouri?

Most Gray Catbirds have left Missouri 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 Missouri?

The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 25% of Missouri checklists.

Gray Catbird · Dumetella carolinensis

When Do Catbirds Arrive in Missouri?

Photo: Melanie Gaddy, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Gray Catbirds arrive in Missouri in mid April, peak in the second week of May (25% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 15-21mid 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 mid April; most are gone by the second week of October. Peak: on about 25% of Missouri checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Marnot usually seen
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Julcommon
Augcommon
Seppeak season
Octcommon
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Catbirds in Missouri, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Gray Catbird	Apr 15-21	Apr 15-21	May 8-14	Oct 8-14	25%

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 Missouri 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 Missouri

Best counties for Gray Catbird

Share of checklists at the peak

Daviess CountyBest the second week of September · 29 checklists that week, 1,354 in all83%
Scotland CountyBest mid September · 16 checklists that week, 759 in all70%
Worth CountyBest early July · 10 checklists that week, 235 in all67%
Putnam CountyBest early June · 11 checklists that week, 790 in all65%
Oregon CountyBest late September · 35 checklists that week, 1,145 in all63%
Clark CountyBest the second week of May · 15 checklists that week, 302 in all57%

Common questions

When do catbirds arrive in Missouri?: Gray Catbirds arrive in Missouri in mid April, peak in the second week of May (25% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do catbirds leave Missouri?: Most Gray Catbirds have left Missouri 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 Missouri?: The Gray Catbird is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 25% of Missouri checklists.