WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Indiana

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Indiana?

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 Indiana. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Indiana in mid April, peak in the second week of May (23% 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 23% of Indiana checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Aprcommon
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Jununcommon
  7. Juluncommon
  8. Augrare
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Indiana, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 15-21Apr 15-21May 8-14Oct 8-1423%
Blue GrosbeakApr 22-30May 1-7Aug 1-7Sep 1-75.5%
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 Indiana 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 Indiana

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Noble CountyBest the second week of May · 308 checklists that week, 9,080 in all54%
  2. Fayette CountyBest the second week of May · 56 checklists that week, 1,864 in all51%
  3. Pulaski CountyBest the second week of May · 34 checklists that week, 1,160 in all49%
  4. Kosciusko CountyBest the second week of May · 298 checklists that week, 8,359 in all45%
  5. Grant CountyBest the second week of May · 217 checklists that week, 5,262 in all44%
  6. Warren CountyBest the second week of May · 11 checklists that week, 458 in all41%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Indiana?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Indiana in mid April, peak in the second week of May (23% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do grosbeaks leave Indiana?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Indiana 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 grosbeaks in Indiana?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 23% of Indiana checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Indiana?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.