WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Mississippi

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Mississippi?

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 Mississippi. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Mississippi: they arrive in the second week of April, peak in late April (16% of checklists), and most are gone by mid May.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 8-14the second week of April
Common byApr 8-14the second week of April
PeakApr 22-30late April
Most gone byMay 15-21mid May

Best: late April. First arrivals the second week of April; most are gone by mid May. Peak: on about 16% of Mississippi 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. Sepuncommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novrare
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Grosbeaks in Mississippi, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 8-14Apr 8-14Apr 22-30May 15-2116%
Blue GrosbeakApr 1-7Apr 8-14Apr 22-30Sep 1-713%
0%5%10%15%20%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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. DeSoto CountyBest early May · 174 checklists that week, 5,093 in all42%
  2. Oktibbeha CountyBest late April · 344 checklists that week, 8,192 in all30%
  3. Choctaw CountyBest early May · 30 checklists that week, 361 in all29%
  4. Hinds CountyBest late April · 369 checklists that week, 9,842 in all28%
  5. Lafayette CountyBest early May · 320 checklists that week, 4,770 in all26%
  6. Warren CountyBest late April · 90 checklists that week, 1,855 in all24%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Mississippi?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Mississippi: they arrive in the second week of April, peak in late April (16% of checklists), and most are gone by mid May.
When do grosbeaks leave Mississippi?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Mississippi by mid May, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Mississippi?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in late April, on about 16% of Mississippi checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Mississippi?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.