WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Alabama

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Alabama?

Adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Photo: Nancy Overholtz, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Blue Grosbeaks are the grosbeaks you are most likely to see in Alabama. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Alabama in late March, peak in late April (17% of checklists), and most are gone by late May.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 22-31late March
Common byMar 22-31late March
PeakApr 22-30late April
Most gone byMay 22-31late May

Best: late April. First arrivals late March; most are gone by late May. Peak: on about 17% of Alabama checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junnot usually seen
  7. Julnot usually seen
  8. Augnot usually seen
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novrare
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Alabama, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakMar 22-31Mar 22-31Apr 22-30May 22-3117%
Blue GrosbeakApr 1-7Apr 8-14Apr 22-30Sep 1-715%
0%10%20%30%Rose-breasted GrosbeakBlue GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Blue Grosbeak
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 Alabama 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 Alabama

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Cullman CountyBest late April · 62 checklists that week, 1,354 in all41%
  2. Blount CountyBest early October · 16 checklists that week, 585 in all38%
  3. Chambers CountyBest the second week of October · 36 checklists that week, 2,519 in all36%
  4. Clay CountyBest early October · 22 checklists that week, 732 in all28%
  5. Morgan CountyBest early October · 55 checklists that week, 6,256 in all26%
  6. Cherokee CountyBest the second week of October · 17 checklists that week, 855 in all26%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Alabama?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Alabama in late March, peak in late April (17% of checklists), and most are gone by late May.
When do grosbeaks leave Alabama?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Alabama by late May, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Alabama?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in late April, on about 17% of Alabama checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Alabama?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.