WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Louisiana

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Louisiana?

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 Louisiana. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Louisiana: they arrive in mid March, peak in late April (18% of checklists), and most are gone by late May.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 15-21mid March
Common byMar 15-21mid March
PeakApr 22-30late April
Most gone byMay 22-31late May

Best: late April. First arrivals mid March; most are gone by late May. Peak: on about 18% of Louisiana 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. Seprare
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novrare
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Louisiana, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakMar 15-21Mar 15-21Apr 22-30May 22-3118%
Blue GrosbeakApr 1-7Apr 1-7Apr 22-30Oct 22-3112%
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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Bienville ParishBest late April · 24 checklists that week, 333 in all42%
  2. East Carroll ParishBest late April · 13 checklists that week, 317 in all37%
  3. Cameron ParishBest late April · 2464 checklists that week, 17,943 in all34%
  4. Bossier ParishBest late April · 224 checklists that week, 3,463 in all29%
  5. Jefferson ParishBest late April · 1957 checklists that week, 25,795 in all27%
  6. Lincoln ParishBest early May · 96 checklists that week, 2,271 in all27%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Louisiana?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Louisiana: they arrive in mid March, peak in late April (18% of checklists), and most are gone by late May.
When do grosbeaks leave Louisiana?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Louisiana by late May, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Louisiana?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in late April, on about 18% of Louisiana checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Louisiana?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.