WhenToBird

Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Pheucticus ludovicianus

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Massachusetts?

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

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Massachusetts in late April, peak in mid May (19% of checklists), and most are gone by early July. They are the only regular grosbeaks in Massachusetts.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 22-30late April
Common byApr 22-30late April
PeakMay 15-21mid May
Most gone byJul 1-7early July

Best: mid May. First arrivals late April; most are gone by early July. Peak: on about 19% of Massachusetts checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Apruncommon
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Juluncommon
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octrare
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Massachusetts, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 22-30Apr 22-30May 15-21Jul 1-719%
0%10%20%30%Rose-breasted GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Hampshire CountyBest mid May · 5225 checklists that week, 162,423 in all37%
  2. Hampden CountyBest the second week of May · 1320 checklists that week, 35,410 in all33%
  3. Worcester CountyBest the second week of May · 5279 checklists that week, 128,594 in all31%
  4. Franklin CountyBest mid May · 1382 checklists that week, 41,382 in all27%
  5. Middlesex CountyBest mid May · 10910 checklists that week, 307,511 in all22%
  6. Berkshire CountyBest mid May · 2673 checklists that week, 92,890 in all22%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Massachusetts?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrive in Massachusetts in late April, peak in mid May (19% of checklists), and most are gone by early July. They are the only regular grosbeaks in Massachusetts.
When do grosbeaks leave Massachusetts?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Massachusetts by early July, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early October.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Massachusetts?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in mid May, on about 19% of Massachusetts checklists.